


Let's Make A Deal

by Insomniacghostie



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akira and Joker are like separate personalities, Banter, Dating, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Nothing explicit, Spoilers, Teasing, but also not really, there is a part with some Upsetting Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-05-03 06:52:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 29,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14563413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insomniacghostie/pseuds/Insomniacghostie
Summary: “And are you on the special menu?” Akira asked, a coy smirk betraying his innocent tone. He relished in Iwai’s surprised face, though to the man’s credit he didn’t step away immediately. He only smirked in return, amused at the boldness of the teenager beneath him.Based around that first step of the social link, because hot DAMN





	1. "I want to see more."

**Author's Note:**

> This fic covers the entirety of Iwai's Social Link and I lifted a lot of dialogue from that, sourced to the game. It's going to go beyond that to the end of the game. Of course I'm making no money off of this, ATLUS can't handle my gay ass ideas.

Akira Kurusu considered himself a fairly brave young man. After all, he had been risking his life going into an entire other world on a nearly weekly basis with his friends for months, fighting terrible monsters and horrific people into changing the world slowly into a better one. He was a wanted man, even if no one knew who he was. He had multiple daggers and fake guns and knew how to use them well. 

That didn’t help reassure him at all as he stood outside Untouchable, knowing a hyper realistic fake gun was in his bag and a very scary but even more handsome man was sitting inside. Someone Akira very much wanted to make a deal with.

“What are you waiting for?! Go ask him about the gun!” Morgana hissed from Akira’s bag on his back, and the young man ran a hand through his curly black hair and knelt down. Morgana hopped out of the bag but gave Akira a stern look.

“I will, but I can’t focus with you talking in my ear the whole time. I got this-- Yoshida’s taught me a thing or two about negotiating,” Akira said, winking at Morgana. The cat didn’t look amused but found a way to shrug anyways.

“If you say so, Joker. Don’t come crawling to me when you mess it up, though. I’ll find something amusing to do,” he said, flicking his tail and darting down the alley, immediately out of sight as he ducked into a small space and disappeared. Akira shook his head, then looked back at the door to the airsoft gun shop. He could handle a surly gun salesman.

He pushed open the door to the shop, hearing quiet electronic metal playing from somewhere. A quick look around the shop showed that there was no one else there except the owner, who was leaning back in a chair at the counter, his feet propped up and his cap obscuring his face. He held a magazine in his hands and flipped lazily through the pages. Akira paused in front of the door, steeling his nerves.

“Are you here to sell me something weird again?” Iwai asked, putting down his magazine and looking up at Akira with his resting glare. Akira nodded, and stepped up closer to the counter. Iwai watched him, his face betraying nothing about his thoughts as he eyed the teenager.

“I looked in the bag,” Akira said, quiet and fast, sounding much more nervous than he meant to. Iwai sat up at that, sighing deeply. 

“I see… That was a custom gun I made to look as real as possible. Had a customer order it. You helped me smuggle it out so the cops wouldn’t catch me. Keep it, if ya want,” Iwai said, watching Akira’s face as he took in his explanation. To Iwai’s surprise, the nervous teen had a very neutral air to him now. Iwai frowned, narrowing his eyes.

“You’re an accomplice now, so no goin’ around snitchin’ to the cops. I got it all on security cameras anyway.”

“I want to see more,” Akira said, voice more sure now. He met Iwai’s eyes and didn’t flinch away, looking a good deal more sure of himself then when he first started the conversation. To Akira’s relief, Iwai didn’t instantly deny him. Actually, he smirked and hummed with approval. Fuck, that shouldn’t be legal. Akira felt his heart skip a beat at the older man’s smile, and it got his adrenaline rushing.

The adrenaline only increased when Iwai paused a long moment, weighing a decision before asking Akira to talk to him in the back. He followed the other man with as much aloofness as he could muster, letting himself settle into his Joker persona to handle the interaction. A wave of confidence settled on his shoulders, and Akira grinned to himself at Iwai’s back. 

Iwai sat at the desk in the cramped room, and Akira just leaned against the wall opposite him. Iwai looked him over again, leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees.

“...Who the hell are you?” he asked outright, gruff voice questioning. Akira shrugged nonchalantly.

“A gun enthusiast,” he offered, tilting his head with a sly smile. Iwai shook his head.

“At your age? Hm…. Well, you’ve got the heart of a gun enthusiast, I guess. You’re a strange one, kid,” Iwai said with a smile, rubbing a hand against the unshaven stubble on his chin. He paused, staring at Akira again, who didn’t flinch under his scrutiny.

“Wait a sec…. Hm, yeah, I think that could work,” Iwai muttered to himself, before turning his attention to Akira again and sitting up in his chair. “I think I could make that wish of yours come true.”

Akira’s eyes widened for only a moment, wondering if Iwai knew about that wish, but he only curled his lips into a smirk.

“But you better have the money. These things are worth hundreds of thousands of yen. Maybe even millions, dependin’ on my mood,” Iwai started, and Akira rolled his eyes.

“Just let me buy them already,” he said, voice teasing, and his heart skipped again when Iwai bit out a loud laugh, shaking his head with amusement.

“You really aren’t bluffin’, are ya kid? ...Ha, it might be more useful for me if you are,” the older man said before standing to his full height, only slightly taller than Akira. The teen continued to lean lazily against the wall, watching him from hooded eyes.

“I ain’t a bad guy. I’ve been known to compromise, from time to time. For example…” Iwai said, voice dropping into a deep whisper as he took a menacing step towards Akira, pinning him against the wall with one arm. Akira continued to lean as if Iwai hadn’t moved, looking up at his eyes with a cocky smirk.

“You help me out with my… ‘business’... smugglin’ goods, destroyin’ evidence… and in return, I’ll give a punk kid like you special prices on my special menu,” Iwai offered, clearly trying to be threatening, but he’d never met Akira as Joker before, and had just handed him a great opening. Akira couldn’t let it just slide. With an entirely unrepentant grin, he looked Iwai up and down, painfully obvious, before running a finger across his own bottom lip.

“And are you on the special menu?” Akira asked, a coy smirk betraying his innocent tone. He relished in Iwai’s surprised face, though to the man’s credit he didn’t step away immediately. He only smirked in return, amused at the boldness of the teenager beneath him.

“I thought you were after my guns,” Iwai said, mockingly hurt, and was shocked when Akira took it a step forward and peeled himself off the wall to press his hips to his own. The young man’s hands gripped his hips aggressively before letting go. Akira grinned wide when he realized Iwai was just as turned on by the interaction as he was.

“Well, is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me? Either way, what’s your goal here?” he asked, making Iwai bark out a laugh again as he took a step back, shaking his head at the cat-cornered-a-mouse face Akira was wearing.

“I should ask what’s yours. Look, you gotta fight evil with evil sometimes, and I need a pawn. Just don’t ask questions and do what I order, and you get your guns. What do ya say, do we have a deal?” Iwai offered, and this time Akira advanced. 

“Mm, not used to being ordered. I’ll do what I can. But you still haven’t told me, is your ‘gun’ included in this deal?” he asked, stepping close enough to Iwai that the older man moved to lean against his cluttered desk, letting Akira lean over him. It was a complete flip from the nervous teen who had initially stepped into his store. Most intriguing. 

“...Kid, I don’t know what you’re expectin’ outta me. I’m just an old man who makes airsoft guns. You should flirt with someone your own age. Someone who isn’t dangerous,” Iwai warned, and the smile Akira gave him chills. 

“Maybe danger is just what I’m into. Besides, you’re just an old man who makes airsoft guns,” Akira responded, putting his hands on Iwai’s thighs-- the outside, not inside, and light enough that Iwai could easily swat away his hands. The chilling smile was still there, and Iwai switched the lollipop stick from one side to another-- a habit from when he smoked. Akira’s eyes followed the motion, and his tongue quickly darted across his own lips.

“...Who are you, kid?” Iwai asked, and Akira withdrew and shrugged. He pulled out his phone instead, suddenly out of the bold advance and back to being a normal teen.  
“I’m just a gun enthusiast. Here, let me send you my contact details. If a job comes up you need me to do, just send a message. You should know, though, I’m frequently without service for hours at a time,” Akira said, and Iwai pulled out his phone as well to swap contacts.

“What, hanging out in the subway a lot?” Iwai asked, in a grunt, and Akira smiled that sly grin again that told Iwai he was asking a question he didn’t want an answer to.

“Whatever, not like I really care either way. Just come help out when I call,” he said, and Akira nodded before leaving, waving two fingers in a goodbye. Iwai stared at the door after he left, very surprised by and interested in the young man who just left. It felt like he was dealing with different people from one moment to the next. If his days as a yakuza enforcer taught him anything, it was how to read people to best manipulate them.

Somehow, he felt Akira was winning in that regard. He also felt like the kid was doing a lot more than he let on. Kids his age weren’t really gun enthusiasts the way his clients were. Sure, they may have thought the somewhat realistic models were cool, but that kid seemed to have a need beyond just wanting to collect. Well, as long as whatever he was doing didn’t implicate himself, Iwai didn’t really care. 

That didn’t stop his mind from distracting him with thoughts of the young man actually trying to seduce him. Hell, he nearly succeeded. When Akira had pushed his own hips against his, Iwai nearly lost his mind. It had been so effortless on Akira’s part, to watch Iwai and make a face just challenging and cocky enough to interest him without being over the top. Teenagers usually couldn’t do subtle, but that’s what it was. Until it wasn’t. 

Iwai was many things, but he was not interested in teenagers in the slightest. Actually, he wasn’t interested in people, period. He took care of his son, he made his customers’ orders, and that was about it. He’d been dodging his past and trying his best to just live a normal life for Karou. Some kid wanting to buy fancy guns wasn’t about to mess that up.

Still, Iwai couldn’t help but feel he was about to be in over his head.


	2. "Don't call me 'kun'."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, this is just for fun, not profit. Enjoy!

It was a few days before Akira made an appearance again, nodding at Iwai as he entered the shop. Iwai sat down his gun magazine, raising a brow up at the bold young man as he approached. He’d messaged him after their meeting, telling him he could also just use normal help around the shop, cleaning and organizing and whatnot. Nothing a gun enthusiast couldn’t handle.

He was still surprised that Akira showed up actually wanting to work. Never one to let his surprise affect him, Iwai just set Akira to sweeping up around the store, dusting and arranging shelves as needed. The young man was silent as he worked, making no mention of his flirtatious manner the last time they met. He was a diligent worker, not letting himself get distracted by the gun models and accessories as he cleaned. It let Iwai simply observe him as he worked, and after a couple of hours he grew bored enough to finally say something.

“Hey, kid. That’s enough. C’mon over here, let’s talk,” he said, and Akira nodded once before approaching, dark eyes observant and focused. Iwai slouched into his chair again.

“Good work today. Don’t worry, I’ll pay you for your time. I don’t have anything new I’ve been working on lately, but tell me about you. Why do you need realistic model guns?” he asked, and Akira gave him that odd smile again and just shrugged.

“What can I say? I just think they’re cool,” he said, and Iwai narrowed his eyes.

“And what about the daggers? And slingshots? And… whips?” Iwai tried again, noting the dangerous flash in Akira’s eyes. Once again, he felt like he was in over his head. Akira leaned against the counter, grinning while his eyes reflected danger.

“Mm, the old ones lose their effectiveness. It’s better to keep finding better ones,” he offered, then tilted his head.

“The whips aren’t for me, though. Although, if you were interested, I’ve no qualms about buying my own.”

Iwai stared at the kid in disbelief. Scandalous didn’t even begin to cover him, and yet he stood there with an innocent if cheeky smile and a flickering twinkle to his eyes that warned Iwai to tread carefully. The kid was fire incarnate and kept finding ways to turn the tables on him.

“Can’t say that they’ve ever interested me, no,” he finally responded, though Akira just smiled again and stood up straight as his phone beeped. He checked it quickly, frowning for a moment before tucking it back into his pants.

“Well, it seems I’m needed elsewhere tonight. If we’re all done here, I’ll be going. Don’t be afraid to call anytime,” Akira said, taking the money Iwai offered him and leaving quickly, running off to God-knows-where. Iwai shook his head and went to the back, deciding to work on his order once again.

\--

Iwai stared at his phone, unsure and annoyed. He really didn’t want to use the kid, as much as he talked up a threat when they made their deal. But he had the chance to learn just what the hell Tsuda was up to, and he couldn’t manage it alone. Resigned, he sent a text to Akira asking him to come to the shop to help out with a problem. Vague but enough to get his attention. He was a little surprised when Akira showed up quickly afterwards, dressed normally, and keen to help.

It didn’t take long for Iwai to explain what he needed Akira to do, and to his credit the kid didn’t ask for any information he didn’t need. It was a simple plan. Iwai would meet Masa, the idiot, at the diner, the kid would sit at the table behind them, and call when he gave the signal. That way, Iwai could listen in if Masa called Tsuda.

Akira went to the diner first, and Iwai was able to recognize him quickly by seeing the curly black hair sitting at a booth, and slid into the one before it casually. Masa sat across from him, the kid directly behind him, and lounged out lazily. Talking to him was a chore, and his story was only half believable, but the idiot bought it. After he got what he wanted, Iwai coughed twice.

“Ehh? Gettin’ sick?” Masa asked, looking at Iwai with disgust. Iwai shrugged as he saw Akira move, knowing his phone was about to buzz.

“Nah, just a cold.” And with that, his phone rang and he answered quickly.

“Hello, Iwai speaking….. Ah, your orders wrong? Crap, meet me at the shop and I’ll get it fixed. Bye,” he said, while Akira remained silent, pausing an appropriately long amount before putting his phone down, but not hanging up.

“Sorry, but I gotta go. Work shit. Let me know if you can organize that meeting,” he said, and Masa waved him off.

“You got it, see ya,” he said, lounging back in his seat to finish his coffee. Iwai left, and as soon as he was out of the building brought the phone back up to his ear.

“You didn’t hang up? Good, keep me on the line,” Iwai ordered, and Akira only gave a small grunt of acknowledgement. As he thought, Masa was quick to call Tsuda, and mentioned thinking Iwai wanted in on their ‘little deal.’ Iwai frowned to himself as he listened. Just what the hell was the old crew up to now?

He was also concerned that the kid got caught staring at Masa. He thought he knew better. But Masa was pretty loud, so it was a natural response. Still, he didn’t want them to know his face. It was dangerous if Masa could put the two of them together. He was distracted when Akira’s quiet voice came through the phone.

“... he left. What do you need me to do now?” he asked, and Iwai grinned despite himself. He was clearly still trying to be subtle, despite the target having left.

“You’re all good for now, I’ll be sure to thank you in person later,” he responded, and could almost hear the smirk through the phone.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Iwai-kun,” Akira teased, and Iwai chose to ignore that.

“Don’t call me ‘kun’, I ain’t a kid,” he grumbled instead, and regretted it instantly.

“You’ll just have to shut me up then, Iwai-kun. Or can I say Mune-kun?” Akira teased, and Iwai sighed.

“....Anyway, I didn’t expect much outta you, to be honest, but you did a good job today. You might actually be of some use to me. I’ll be relying on you from now on, just don’t call me Mune-kun,” he continued instead of acknowledging Akira’s blatant teasing.

“I’m glad to be useful. And fine, I’ll come up with something better then,” Akira said, and hung up before Iwai could ask what that meant. He dreaded what the kid would come up with. He was too clever by half.


	3. “Don’t bullshit me, kid."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's gonna have a bit of angst and a bit of fun, enjoi

Iwai called Akira to the shop again when he got behind on orders, begrudgingly. But he already knew the kid was good with his hands, he’d seen it when the kid worked around the shop, organizing everything to the smallest detail and tweaking things when asked. It was about time to get him actually in on making guns, or what was the point of having help? Not like his shelves really got messed up that often.

Akira was a quick learner as Iwai explained what exactly he did, showing him the tools and how they worked on modifying the guns. The kid teased him, but he just brushed it off.

“Hey, I’m runnin’ an honorable business here, y’know,” he said, then looked away for a moment before admitting why he was really training Akira. 

“The customer’s have been runnin’ a little thin, lately… someone online is claimin’ my stuff is all knock-offs. Once you got a bad rep like that, it’s hard to shake.”

He wasn’t expecting the empathetic look out of the kid. He expected more teasing, but Akira just frowned and furrowed his brow.

“I know how that feels,” he muttered, and Iwai blinked at him.

“A kid like you? … you’re goin’ through somethin’ similar? I guess you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t… Don’t give me any details, though. I don’t wanna know,” he said, and there was Akira’s smile, though his eyes betrayed him again. Somehow, he didn’t think it was normal high school bullying bothering the kid. Well, he was about to become involved further, so Iwai sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

He proceeded to fill in the kid about what was going on with Tsuda, including his own unsavory past.

“Tsuda’s part of the same clan I was in… when I was in the yakuza,” Iwai admitted, watching for Akira’s face to betray any amount of fear, of loathing, or a semblance of a normal response. He should have expected Akira’s smirk to return.

“I always knew you were a thug,” he quipped, and Iwai actually laughed. The kid had nerve, that was for sure. He was sure to let him know as well, before explaining further about his previous brotherhood with Tsuda and his known status in the underworld.

“...That’s why I keep you around. You look normal enough, but you’ve got balls, kid. Enough to go spyin’ on Tsuda. Hope I’m not scarin’ you off with all this talk,” Iwai said, and Akira looked mock offended, smiling big.

“I’m only scared about how you know about my balls without my knowledge,” he joked, and Iwai shook his head. That kid had a weird sense of humor, that was for sure. There wasn’t any way he was actually trying to seduce him, really, but the kid was amusing nonetheless.

“I ain’t sayin’ I know anythin’ about nothin’!” he defended, but Akira just stepped closer, letting his arm rest against his. 

“Well if you’re ever curious, you only have to ask,” he said, fluttering his lashes in a frankly ridiculous way, and Iwai stepped back, rolling his eyes.

“Anyways, kid, now you know what you’re dealin’ with movin’ forward. I expect a lot from you,” he responded with instead, finding it much easier to just ignore Akira’s advances than acknowledge them. For his part, the kid just seemed amused at his retreat and straightened back up.

“I won’t let you down,” he promised, grinning, before getting a text and walking towards the door. 

“Hey, I’ll add more to the special menu for your help the other day,” Iwai called out as Akira grabbed the handle, and the little punk turned around with a smile.

“What part of you got added?” he asked, winking, but the door opened before Iwai could tell him off. To his shock and anger, Karou walked in. Akira looked at him with surprise as well, having been the youngest customer he’d seen in the store himself.

“I thought I told you to stop comin’ around here,” Iwai scolded Karou, who looked down at the harshness of his dad’s tone. He tried to speak up, but trailed off. Akira looked at Iwai in confusion.

“Is this one of your customers?” he asked, genuinely curious, and Iwai groaned.

“You keep your mouth shut. It’s none of your business,” Iwai snapped, and Akira flinched back, blinking. Iwai may have been grumbling threats their entire time knowing each other, but he’d never outright snapped at him. He sighed, and turned back towards his son.

“Just go home and study, Karou. You’ve got entrance exams comin’ up, right?” he ordered, and Karou pouted for a moment before agreeing and leaving, which left Akira and Iwai alone once again. Akira clearly wasn’t going to leave anymore without an explanation, and Iwai felt annoyed about being forced to reveal everything about himself.

“That’s Karou… my son. He’s always askin’ to help out around here, worryin’ about what I’m gettin’ up to,” he explained, then sighed. “I shouldn’t be explainin’ this to a kid like you… Head home for today, you did good work.”

Akira frowned at the dismissal, but moved towards the door and left without anything more than a nod. After a month of working with him, Iwai could tell the kid was annoyed, but nothing he couldn’t handle. Flirting aside, Akira was just a part timer and lackey at the end of the day. He didn’t need to be liked by him.

\--

 

Akira entered the shop as quietly as ever, face down as he approached the counter. He set a bag of yen on the counter, as well as some jewels and golden scales. It wasn’t the first batch of weird things he’d brought in, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last.

“I need something new, body armor,” he said simply, and that’s when Iwai noticed the kid looked like he just got out of the tail end of a bar fight. Akira didn’t meet his eye, for once, and was noticeably distant.

“... Alright, kid. I can help you. What size, you think?” he asked, and Akira, bizarrely, went to his phone. After it buzzed a few times, he sighed and listed out five sizes.

“The last two are actually for girls, if you have those, and then the smallest size you have,” Akira added, shifting his vision to a pair of metal knuckles in the case in front of Iwai. He narrowed his eyes, as if thinking hard, and tapped his fingers rhythmically against the counter. 

“If I do some work around here tonight, think you could throw in these knuckles, too?” he asked. Iwai just stared at him. The kid looked like shit, honestly, and was swaying a little on his feet. He sighed, scooping up the crap the kid brought and putting it in a carrying case-- it was all still pretty valuable, he’d get a seller easily. Then he stood and tilted his head towards the back office.

“C’mon, let’s go to the back,” he said, and though he heard Akira sigh, he didn’t protest. He got Akira to sit in his chair and leaned against the wall, appreciating the reversal of their positions. Akira leaned back into the chair, still not meeting Iwai’s eye as he revealed his black eye and scruffed up face. It was like looking into a mirror of his past.

“Kid… if you’re in some deep shit, tell me now,” he said, meaning to ease into the conversation but coming out directly anyways. Akira just laughed, a little hollow, and propped his elbow on the desk so he could lean against his hand.

“What makes you think I am?” Akira asked, smiling coyly, and Iwai sighed again. He didn’t expect it to be an easy conversation, the kid was a slick as an eel when he wanted to be, but this was going to be hell. He stepped closer, looming over him as he tilted Akira’s head towards his face to look into his eyes. They were dark and distant, and something between fear and excitement rested there. 

“Don’t bullshit me, kid. Keep yourself out of trouble. If you need out, I can help with that. But I can’t do shit if you don’t tell me,” he growled, only getting more annoyed when Akira just smirked at him, though his eyes looked a little sad.

“I would if I were in need of saving, gun daddy,” Akira said, and Iwai froze as that ridiculous statement washed over him. The cocky smile increased, and he took the older man’s moment of paralysis as a chance to lean forward and did he actually bite his earlobe? Iwai let out a harsh breath before he could stop himself and pulled away. Akira looked absolutely unrepentant and was actually smiling like a cat who was very satisfied with himself.

“... I don’t actually know anymore. You’re clearly out of it, kid. I’ll walk you to the station. Go home, I’m sure your parents are worried,” he said, scratching the back of his head. Akira’s smile instantly turned into a frown and Iwai felt like a wall had just gone up as he stood.

“I’m sure they aren’t. Don’t worry about me, gun daddy, I’ll be fine,” he said, saluting as he quickly left before Iwai could tell him not to ever call him that again.

The older man really didn’t want to admit how much he actually liked the nickname, or the hot breath of the kid on his neck when he bit his earlobe, a very secret turn on that he was deeply embarrassed to have the kid now know about.

Akira, meanwhile, hated how much the mention of his parents stung. They hadn’t called even once since he moved in with Sojiro, and the coffee maker never mentioned them calling him either. It nearly set him to tears, something he definitely didn’t want Iwai to see. The older man didn’t need an emotional teen on his hands. At least Akira did get something good out of the visit-- Iwai was definitely into biting.


	4. "You haven’t seen anything yet, gun daddy."

He hesitated to call the kid again, who hadn’t showed since biting Iwai’s earlobe and leaving in an odd huff, beat to hell and extra elusive. Akira showed up, though, after Iwai texted him, looking same as ever and didn’t mention their previous meeting. Iwai explained his mission, finding and talking to a homeless man, while he had to take care of something on his own. 

Akira left out, wandering Shibuya while looking out for anyone who looked suspicious. Morgana poked out from his bag, more than a little annoyed that Akira kept making him leave anytime he went to the gun shop.

“What, are you embarrassed of me or something?” Morgana sniffed, petulant and clearly offended. Akira sighed, petting his head.

“No, absolutely not. I’m embarrassed of myself. I… I really like that guy. He’s, uh, well, I guess I see him a bit similar to how you look at Ann,” Akira tried to explain, feeling extremely mortified for having to explain to a damn cat that he had a crush on an older man and didn’t want anyone to see him dealing with it. Morgana was very quiet, and Akira grew worried about his reaction. The cat was the backbone of the team, the reason they knew anything about the Metaverse or Personas or Palaces. If he was disgusted and no longer wanted to deal with Akira, he didn’t know what he would do. He was already a pretty terrible leader.

“Joker! Hey, Joker! Jeez, quit zoning out when I’m trying to talk to you! Like I was saying, that’s all you had to say, you know. I don’t want to cramp your style. Just don’t mess it up, we need those guns!” Morgana ranted, going off again about the team and the Metaverse and not even realizing how damn relieved Akira felt that his damn cat of all people accepted him so easily.

“Please don’t tell the others, though. I… I’m not ready for them to know about that. Not that anything is really happening, but…” he said, and Morgana readily agreed before slinking back into the bag and zipping up. The target was down this alley, Akira could see him. 

He felt like a common thug as he navigated the conversation to find out what Iwai needed to know without betraying who was asking. The news of the Hong Kong mafia coming to Japan for a 100 million yen deal was nothing short of incredible. Actually, it was very easy to imagine Kaneshiro was involved, considering he was part of a gang in the area, and had an obscene amount of money. Would the deal stop if they stopped Kaneshiro, or was he actually uninvolved with that? Would that be better or worse for Iwai? Head full of questions, Akira returned to Untouchable.

He was surprised to hear a sleazy, unknown voice coming from the back. 

“Your store is impressive as always, great work Iwai!”

“It’s nice to hear that comin’ from you, Tsuda-san,” came Iwai’s reply, and Akira found himself struggling to listen.

“I bet you could start a war with those realistic looking models,” Tsuda said, voice dripping with an implied threat despite his complimenting tone, and Akira wanted nothing more than to find the man and throw him out. This was something beyond him, though, and it was Iwai’s business and not his. Still, his bad feeling was growing. Morgana bumped his head against the back of Akira’s, picking up on his tension.

Then, the skeevy man stepped out the back, wearing a suit and sunglasses and a leery smile. Iwai greeted Akira as a normal customer, his face betraying nothing about their relationship. Tsuda gave the young man a once over before shrugging and turning back to Iwai, who returned to the counter.

“Well, I’ll take one of everything you showed me today. I’ll need an entire arsenal. How long would that be?” he asked, and Iwai scratched his chin, frowning as he considered it.

“Depends on the parts comin’ in. Some of them have to get through customs… How long they get stuck out there is outta my control, though…” he said, and Akira recognized it as a delay tactic. Apparently, Tsuda did too because he narrowed his eyes and smiled cruelly. 

“Tell me, Mune… What’s your son’s name? Karou-kun, right?” he asked, and Iwai tilted his head down, eyes growing sharp.

“...That’s right,” he acknowledged, and Akira stared at Tsuda coolly. He was dealing with creatures five times his size or more every few days, but this man scared him even more.

“Well, if you don’t deliver on time, I may just need to let Karou-kun in on your little secret,” Tsuda threatened, and Iwai closed his eyes, clenching his fist at his side.

“Tsuda-san, please…” he started, but Tsuda continued like he hadn’t heard.

“I wonder how a sweet boy like that would react to finding out his father was in the yakuza...? Then again, if things went sour, we could always try to sell him again.” 

Akira’s eyes widened. He heard the words but they couldn’t make sense in his head. He heard Morgana gasp in his bag, and his eyes sought out Iwai, who was now very angry.

“Fine, I’ll put a rush on it. Happy now?” he bit out, and Tsuda nodded as if Iwai wasn’t being rude.

“Of course. Well then, I look forward to hearing from you… soon,” he responded, then turned to Akira. “Sorry to make you wait, kid.”

And with that, he left. As if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell in the room. Akira looked at Iwai, who was refusing to look at him. He slammed his hands on the counter with a frustrated grow, cursing loudly. Akira flinched, and took a deep breath to calm himself.

“So that was Tsuda, huh?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Iwai deflated, and nodded his head. He apologized, then pulled himself together enough to offer a quiet smile. 

“So what did you learn? Anything good?” Iwai asked instead, trying to focus on taking down Tsuda instead of the gangster’s threats. If he could take care of it, Kaoru would be fine without ever needing to learn about his dad’s past. Akira gave him a gentle and understanding look and nodded.

“There’s a hundred million yen deal that went down with the Hong Kong mafia around New Years,” Akira informed him, and Iwai scratched at his chin as he thought to himself.

“...Wouldn’t surprise me if Tsuda had something to do with it. I heard he’s been bragging about a big score he made around the start of the year. I’ll need to look more into this…” he mumbled to himself, and noticed Akira tilt his head while listening to him. That’s when he noticed the surprisingly attentive cat that was hiding behind Akira’s head, poking out of his backpack.

Suddenly, the kid ordering pet sized armor made more and less sense at once. He never pegged him for a pet owner, but wasn’t shocked by it either. As soon as the cat made eye contact with him, it ducked back into it’s backpack, and Iwai grinned. Smart cat.

“Anyways, nice job today kid. I’ll be able to give Tsuda quite a scare with the info you gave me,” Iwai said, smiling as Akira grinned at the praise. Then the kid slipped into a smirk, and Iwai braced himself.

“So where’s my reward?” he asked, stepping up closer. Iwai sighed, but still gave him a good natured grin. He relented and let out a deep chuckle, not missing the slight pink that touched Akira’s cheeks as he stared up at him, staring intently from behind his glasses.

“Anyone ever tell you how demandin’ you are?” he laughed, and Akira shrugged. The kid looked down, then back up at Iwai and reached a hand up to rest on the gun dealer’s arm.

“Hmm, occasionally. I think I’m more than fair in negotiations, though,” he said, a glint to his eyes making Iwai infinitely more curious about exactly what sort of life he led. He couldn’t deny to himself that his attention felt nice, and seeing the nearly pouting look on Akira’s face was nearly enough to make him give in to what he was clearly after. For a moment, the two were silent as they regarded each other, and Iwai twitched, leaning closer in before he stepped back and coughed, putting distance between him and Akira, who looked frustrated but not resigned.

“...Another time, yeah? I don’t have any new designs for now,” he managed, looking away in a rare moment of cowardice. He didn’t want to see the disappoint on Akira’s face. The kid had teased him and flirted with him in the past, only to laugh at him when Iwai redirected. But that felt different, more serious. For a second, Iwai felt he was actually going to kiss Akira. And that was too much to handle. He found himself going on just to clear the tense air.

“But man, I can’t wait to see the look on Tsuda’s face! He’s never gonna see this comin’! It’s been ages since I felt this excited. And it’s all thanks to you, kid. You’re actually pretty useful.” he continued. He was being entirely honest about that; the kid was a godsend for gathering information. He was able to eavesdrop easily without anyone being aware of him, and never asked a dumb question. 

Akira stepped towards the door, tilting his head again. Iwai forced himself to look and saw an oddly vulnerable look on the younger man’s face. His lips parted, ready to say something, but then Akira just sighed and closed them again before blinking, and his face changed subtly to be more confident and teasing.

“You haven’t seen anything yet, gun daddy.” he said, winking, but it sounded half hearted. True to form, the kid slipped out of the store before Iwai could tell him off. He found he didn’t like the quiet absence and made himself focus on building in latest order if just to keep his hands busy and his mind clear of the look of hope and delight on Akira’s face for the barest of moments when Iwai leaned towards him.


	5. "Almost as nice as an indirect kiss."

Akira came by again a couple of weeks later, responding to Iwai’s text that he needed help around the shop. It wasn’t entirely true. The gun dealer really just wanted to ensure the kid wouldn’t say anything weird to Kaoru if they ran into each other again. The teen worked diligently on a model gun, and did a damn fine job. When he finished, Iwai invited him to the back to talk.

He didn’t miss the coy smile Akira graced him with as he stood to follow Iwai, and the older man got the feeling he was being checked out as he walked in front of the teen. He rolled his eyes but smiled a little to himself: the continued attention was a surprise, but very nice.

He took his seat in the available chair, and Akira leaned against the wall across from him. He eyed Iwai attentively, but didn’t fidget even in continued silence.

“...It’s about the secret Tsuda mentioned. There’s more to it than my havin’ been in the yakuza, and I don’t want you sayin’ anythin’ weird to Kaoru,” he began. Iwai told Akira about his time in the Hashiba clan, and the terrible woman who came to them with a baby. The woman had wanted to sell the baby for drugs, and when Iwai refused, she just abandoned him. That was when Iwai decided to get his life together and leave the yakuza and raise the baby as his own. He found himself opening up candidly, surprising himself. The entire time he spoke about Kaoru and how he was trying so hard to just give him a normal life, Akira just watched him with a kind expression, nodding along. No judgement ever crossed his face.

“I still haven’t managed to tell Kaoru I was in the yakuza, though…” Iwai finished, and Akira tilted his head with a frown, his first reaction to what Iwai was saying. 

“Why not?” he asked, and Iwai sighed, glaring a little at Akira, who just stuck out his chin defiantly. 

“... Let me ask you somethin’. How would you like it if you found out your parents were wrapped up in dirty shit?” he asked, thinking bitterly about his own mother and her lack of presence, of how he was belittled and worse, how Kaoru was too. Iwai went off, feeling embarrassed for talking about his own background but growing angry yet again with the threat Tsuda presented. He nearly missed the dark look that crossed Akira’s face for a moment, but it was gone as soon as Iwai mentioned Tsuda.

“As soon as he heard about my airsoft shop, he took an interest in me, askin’ me to make him some custom models. Though he ain’t really askin’, the bastard’s tryin’ to force me into it by threatenin’ to tell Kaoru everythin’... Truth is, Tsuda’s got all sorts of dirt. Not just on when Kaoru was a baby, but on me and my family as well. Who knows what would happen if Kaoru knew? Besides, Tsuda wont stop there. He’ll tell everyone he can. When it’s all said and done, he wants everythin’ I have… If word gets out about my past, people will treat Kaoru like he’s no different than me. After all, everyone knows shitty parents make shitty kids,” he ranted.

Akira flinched at his last statement, the dark look coming back. He’d never seen the teen look that angry before, and got the feeling he had been talking about a sore subject. That was also around when he realized that while Akira knew a great deal about his past, he knew absolutely nothing about him in return. Cataloging all that he knew came down to a minute amount. Akira was a high school gun enthusiast who was very adept at building models. He owned a cat, and enjoyed teasing and flirting with the older man. He was willing to make a deal for better quality guns, and was frequently unavailable for hours or days at a time. 

None of that pointed to anything in Akira’s past, or his actual motivations for helping Iwai deal with his old yakuza connections. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if Akira’s seduction attempts were serious or not. He swallowed down his guilt at purposefully trying to not learn anything about the teen’s life, and continued talking.

“Once he’s stuck with that stigma, that’s it. When shit goes wrong, he’ll always be the one who gets blamed. That’s what happened with me… That’s why I turned to the yakuza. No one else would accept me. That’s also why I can’t turn Tsuda down. He’s got too much power…”

Iwai sighed and trailed off, feeling darker than ever. It was his own dumbass mistake to have ever joined the yakuza, terrible life or not. And soon, Kaoru would pay for it, if he couldn’t keep Tsuda quiet. He knew the guns would just be the start, but he was at a loss at how to move forward. He looked towards Akira, who just scoffed, though his eyes were warm.

“You’re pathetic,” he told him, teasingly, and Iwai chuckled. The kid never failed to put him in his place and catch him off guard.

“You’re right. I bet Kaoru’s tired of havin’ a weakass dad like me. Anyways, I was tryin’ to stall Tsuda with bullshit prototypes while I figured out how to stop him, but that bastard’s real good at keepin’ his cards close to his chest. Plus, he got wind of what I was tryin’ to do, and now he’s keepin’ tabs on me twenty four seven. But now, I have you, kid,” Iwai explained, smiling affectionately at Akira, who smiled gently at him. He could see a hint of pride in his dark eyes.

“Sorry for bringin’ this all up out of the blue,” he sighed. “... you probably don’t want anythin’ to do with me now.”

Akira leaned back and brought a finger to his chin, staring at Iwai thoughtfully. While the older man felt pathetic, he found himself straightening up under the scrutiny. Finally, Akira smirked.

“Nah, I’ll stick around for the guns. Besides, you’re still nice on the eyes,” he said brazenly, and Iwai bit out a laugh. Akira watched him with amused eyes.

“Man, you’re serious about that enthusiast stuff, huh?” he chuckled, and Akira winked.

“And the other thing too,” he quipped, and Iwai didn’t know how to respond so he resorted to chuckling again. Akira took two long steps and was standing over Iwai, looping his arms around Iwai’s neck. The older man swallowed nervously, eyeing him with trepidation. Akira looked at him with hooded eyes, a wicked smirk on his face as Iwai forced himself to sit absolutely still.

“You know, you never did give me a reward…” he murmured, nearly pouting, and Iwai hitched in a breath as Akira’s dark eyes bored into him. He knew he should push the kid away before he did something he would grow to regret, but excitement and curiosity kept him glued to his seat, waiting to see what he would do next. Akira leaned in slightly, letting his nose gently bump Iwai’s, and stole his breath before abruptly pulling away and snatching his lollipop at the same time. 

Iwai blinked at him, confused by the sudden change, yet enthralled by the challenge in Akira’s eyes as he popped the lollipop into his own mouth. His tongue dipped out and surrounded the small red candy at the top of the stick before he wrapped his lips around the stick, teasingly slow, and Iwai fought a growl at the unbidden image of exactly how Akira could handle… something else. From Akira’s knowing smirk, he wasn’t quite successful.

“...I was gonna offer a discount on the custom guns, but if some candy is all it takes to make you happy…” Iwai grumbled, grinning wickedly, and Akira narrowed his eyes with a smile. He switched the stick to the other side of his mouth, as he often saw Iwai do, then popped it out to stick out his reddened tongue.

“Discount works too. Almost as nice as an indirect kiss,” he sniffed, and Iwai blinked at him. Akira laughed at his expression before offering the lollipop back to him. The older man put it back in his mouth, glaring at his shop assistant. The younger man laughed more and turned to the door.

“See you soon, gun daddy,” he said with a smirk, and Iwai sighed as he watched Akira head out the door towards the shop. He relaxed back into his chair, adjusting his jeans as he realized his shop assistant’s little stunt had caused a growing issue. Cheeky brat.

\--

Akira didn’t wait long to return to the shop again, and Iwai hated that his eyes instantly went to the younger man’s lips before his eyes. He only smirked but made no comment to his boss as he came up to the counter.

“I don’t have any work for you today, kid. I’m actually thinkin’ of headed out somewhere. Kaoru’s exams are comin’ up and I wanna take him somewhere to relax before he stresses himself out, but I don’t know where yet,” Iwai said. It wasn’t a lie, but he also felt nervous around the teen. Given the chance to be alone again, he wasn’t sure he could resist if Akira hit on him again. He was a man with needs, after all. And Akira was incredibly attractive.

“Oh, I might know a good place,” he said, face brightening. “Have you been to Inokashira Park?”

Iwai nodded to himself. A park could be pretty nice and relaxing. He didn’t anticipate Akira following up with an invitation to go check it out, despite it being dark out. He also surprised himself by agreeing to go along.

The park was peaceful even after dark. Without anyone else around, it was nearly eerie. And yet, Iwai felt completely at ease walking with Akira through the park at night. The younger man didn’t have a need to chatter on about nothing, and seemed to enjoy the quiet just as much as Iwai did. They walked around the lake and eventually came to a stop.

“This was actually pretty nice,” he said, staring out over the lake. Akira made a hum of agreement and stood by his side, but Iwai could feel his eyes on him instead of the park. 

“I bet it’s really peaceful here durin’ the day. At night, you should be pretty careful. Places like this get dangerous after dark,” he warned, and found Akira looking at him with that odd smile again. Somehow it felt like Akira was hiding something.

“...You know, you can tell me if someone is messin’ with you. I know a thing or two about trouble, I can help you out,” he tried, and Akira shrugged.

“I told you already, I’m not in any trouble. Besides, I can take care of myself,” the teen quipped, but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. He went silent a long moment, then sighed.

“Maybe I used to be, and maybe I will again. But right now, I’m just doing the best I can,” he finally said, and Iwai didn’t press for more detail after that. It was more than he expected anyway. Akira stared up at him, dark eyes searching. He licked his lips nervously and Iwai followed the moment with his eyes before swallowing. 

“I’m serious, you know, about you,” Akira blurted out, and Iwai’s eyes widened. The younger man looked vulnerable in the moonlight, and Iwai sighed. He didn’t want to hurt the kid, but he also didn’t want to take advantage of him either. As if he sensed the rejection coming, Akira’s expression closed off. 

“Hey, kid…” he started before he realized he had no idea what to say to him when all he really wanted to do was grab him and kiss him hard. His hand twitched towards him before he brought it up to scratch the back of his neck and he weakly excused himself to the gift shop to gather his thoughts.

He returned minutes later with a goofy swan boat figure.

“Kaoru used to have a toy like this. A duck or somethin’... I don’t know, it was cute. Maybe you’ll enjoy it,” he mumbled, unsure why he picked up anything for the teen at all. Akira accepted the bag with a small smile and said nothing of the previous conversation. 

“I need to get home to Kaoru. Can you make it back okay?” he asked, and Akira nodded and said his goodbye before taking off quickly towards the trains, leaving Iwai feeling like a giant jackass.


	6. “Do you really want to know?”

Akira felt like a fucking idiot. He had a good give and take with Iwai, a lot of flirting before the older man would shut him down with a smile on his face. When he first started negotiating with the equipment dealer, he just enjoyed trying to seduce a handsome older man. But after everything started coming to light about Iwai’s past and his son, Akira had the startling realization that he actually was starting to fall in love with him.

All the teen wanted to do was hide Iwai and Kaoru away and take down the entire yakuza single handedly to protect them. It was a far different feeling than merely wanting to sleep with Iwai, which was still very much something Akira was interested in. The feeling of being emotionally vulnerable scared and thrilled him, and he had no idea how to handle it.

He had a feeling that suddenly confessing that he was serious to Iwai wasn’t the best way to handle it. He should have just let everything continue as normal, dancing around Iwai and easing information out of him to try to take down Tsuda himself. That way, Iwai would be safe and no one would need to be rejected. And who rejected people by giving them a miniature swan boat?

If falling for an older man was his only problem, Akira felt he could handle it. However, his Phantom Thieves had also been tasked with helping out a young girl into overcoming her own dark thoughts, to avoid ruin for the entire country. Sometimes, he missed the year before he moved to Tokyo, when he was able to focus on playing baseball and keeping up good grades and figuring out that he found boys to be more attractive than girls, even if he still liked girls too.

“Joker? What’s the plan?” Ryuji asked, breaking the leader out of his own spiraling thoughts. He pushed up his mask, a habit from normally wearing glasses, and cleared his throat.

“Well, we finally got her to ‘open up’ and let us in, so let’s cautiously head up the stairs, starting from the side entrance since the front is almost impossible to get through now. If another giant rock comes down, follow the same path as before. Hopefully, we’ll be able to reach a side hall or something before that, or the best case would be that there won’t be another rock in that particular area. Since this is a desert, I don’t know if fire will be effective, so Ann, you stay back with Ryuji for now, but we’ll swap out at the first safe room we find. Let’s go as far as we can, today,” he instructed, watching his friends as they nodded and confirmed his orders.

He was almost grateful that Kaneshiro’s palace had such long stretches without any safe rooms, which built up a good amount of stamina for his team. The pyramid was full of traps and shadows that were incredibly strong, but the training he had them do in Mementos was paying off as well, letting his crew easily cut through the enemies as they progressed.

What they learned was saddening. It was clear to them that something was not right in Futaba’s cognition of how her mother died, and Akira felt his heart ache for the younger girl. Even if he had no relationship with his parents, it was obvious that Futaba loved her mother fiercely. It filled him with even more determination to help out the hacker.

It felt like hours had passed before he lead his team into a safe room a fair ways from the entrance. According to Morgana, they had made it nearly halfway through in their determined march through the pyramid. However, everyone was deeply exhausted. Akira had been switching everyone out, to give them all the chance to recover as they powered through, but he could only let them recover so much while they stayed. The experimental patch he had gotten from Doctor Takemi helped a little for himself, but he knew it was just giving him borrowed time. Everyone was too exhausted to even call upon their personas, and he was out of curry for everyone as well. 

“Here, use these Soul Drops and take this medicine. It’ll be enough to get us back to the entrance,” he offered, pulling the items from his bag to give to his grateful friends. “You all did fantastic today.”

“Thanks, Joker. Hey, before we come back up here, d’you think you could find me another weapon? I feel like my rod is about to snap,” Ryuji asked, and didn’t seem to notice the tension in Akira’s shoulders. Joker still nodded sharply.

“I’ll find something. I think the ancient goods we got today should bring in a hefty amount, so I’ll update your gun too, Fox. I bet I can find something with more ammo,” he replied, nodding to Yusuke who dipped his head gratefully.

“Okay, okay, we can work that out in the chat. Let’s just go home, I wanna take a shower before I pass out,” Ann complained. Even with the air conditioned pyramid (and weren’t palaces odd that way) her outfit tended to cause her to overheat. Everyone was in agreement, and they were able to sneak out without any opposition from shadows. 

It wasn’t until they were back home and Morgana was curled up beside Akira in bed that Morgana spoke up.

“Hey, Akira? Did something happen?” he asked quietly, causing his friend to turn his head to look at him. Akira just shrugged, unsure of how to talk about it with a cat like mystery being.

“Sort of. I wouldn’t worry about it, though. It’s nothing serious, just sad teenage stuff,” he said, trying to give him a reassuring smile. Morgana whacked his cheek with his paw, thankfully keeping his claws in. The cat frowned and stood up to yell at him.

“Don’t try to shut me out now, Joker! I know that something happened between you and the gun shop owner! It felt like things were… okay… when I was there. Is it something to do with that scary guy?” he asked, and Akira sat up in his bed, defeated.

“No, it’s nothing to do with Tsuda. It’s just… I told him I was serious about him. He just walked off and gave me a toy swan boat like nothing had been said. I don’t really know how to face him now, but I know I’m going to have to. I’m just a little mopey about it, is all. I’ve never confessed to anyone before,” he explained quietly, and Morgana calmed down before putting a reassuring paw on his leg.

“Hey… I’m sure it’s not that bad. Maybe he’s feeling just as awkward as you? I mean, he didn’t outright tell you off or anything. He even gave you something, so maybe it’s not as terrible as you think?” he offered, and Akira gave him a small smile before scratching his head gently.

“Maybe. We’ll find out tomorrow, won’t we?” he said, and with the air cleared they finally settled in to sleep.

\--

Akira stood outside Untouchable, steeling his nerves before entering. He imagined his Joker mask on his face and put on a cocky smile before entering the shop. Iwai looked up and shifted in his seat. The older man was not prone to anxiety, but Joker brought that side out of him. He looked a little guilty as he adjusted his hat in greeting.

Akira sauntered up to the counter with a coy grin across his face. He set his large bag on the counter, and leaned against it.

“I have another load for you,” he said, winking at Iwai’s coughing reaction, then began to pull artifacts out for his appraisal. Iwai poked through them with increasing incredulousness.

“What, did you go to goddamn Egypt?!” He asked, but still turned to his computer to estimate a price. Akira only shrugged in return, and turned his attention to the weapons on display. A spiked rod caught his attention, and he hummed in approval.

“Is this new?” he asked, motioning to the weapon. Iwai grunted, then got up from his appraisal and came over to the case.

“Yeah, my supplier noticed I was goin’ through rods fast and sent somethin’ cool lookin’ over. Interested?” he replied, and Akira nodded, twirling a curl around a finger while he did mental calculations. Much better than the iron pipe Ryuji was using before, it would be worth the expense. With that settled, he turned his attention to the guns. Nothing that Yusuke could use had more rounds available, but one rifle in particular caught his attention for having a better accuracy, so it would have to do.

“This one, too. The Rebel Rifle,” he ordered, pointing at the gun in question, which Iwai grabbed out of the case.

“Hm. After your weird stuff, that’ll still be 18000 yen,” Iwai said, and Akira pulled out the required bills without even flinching. Their hands brushed as Akira handed over the money, and when Iwai looked up the younger man was staring at him thoughtfully. Iwai cleared his throat and tilted down his hat.

He still wasn’t sure how to respond to Akira’s confession, and he felt like a goddamn idiot for just getting him a useless gift instead of using his words. Still, when the teen looked up at him and his eyes searched for an answer in every expression, he felt like he owed him something. Iwai scratched the back of his neck and fought a long suffering sigh. 

“Hey, kid, we should talk about the other night,” he started, and a very rare moment of panic flashed across Akira’s face before the mask of confidence slid back into place. He smiled, sharp and cold, and tilted his head.

“Absolutely, but just not tonight. I actually was just picking this up on the way to a meeting,” he said, and Iwai furrowed his brows.

“What sort of meetings do you have that needs weapons? Or for that matter, goes through them so frequently?” he asked, and at Akira’s challenging smile he sighed. He didn’t think he would ever know what the kid got up to, requiring such an intensive arsenal. 

“Do you really want to know?” Akira asked, and Iwai felt an itch on the back of his neck that signaled danger. He said nothing in response, so Akira only shrugged and shoved the weapons into his large bag.

“I’d love to stay and help, but I’ve really got to dash. See you later, gun daddy,” Akira said with a grin, dashing out the door before Iwai could work up the nerve to ask further, or tell him off for being so cheeky. Iwai watched him go before gathering up the collection of Egyptian artifacts and placing them gently in boxes for organization. 

If he were being honest with himself, which he was trying to be, Iwai was growing extremely curious about his part timer. Akira had a very busy and hectic schedule, and access to rare goods that he brought in batch by batch. He never knew from one day to the next if he would be seeing the teen, but he found himself looking up for him every time the door opened. Iwai also realized that Akira didn’t reach out for him, but waiting instead for Iwai to message him if he needed help.

None of that really explained what the kid was up to. Having the connections he did, Iwai would have heard if there was a violent group causing trouble. He felt he knew Akira enough to know that the kid wouldn’t be doing anything terrible. He seemed kind, if not very cheeky and scandalous. Iwai figured it wasn’t really any of his business, so long as no heat came back on him. Still, he worried for his part timer.


	7. “I get the feeling we’ll never be rid of you.”

It would be days before he would see Akira again, who seemed as cool as ever when he entered the stiflingly hot shop. Iwai had the radio on, listening to the news as he flipped through his magazine. Kaoru had scolded him for not keeping up with the latest news considering a major group had threatened Japan for supporting the Phantom Thieves. Akira paused at the entrance as he listened to the latest boring man talk about whether or not the Phantom Thieves would be standing up to Medjed and saving everyone’s asses or not. Iwai switched it off, bored.

“You got my message,” he asked, fanning himself with his hat. Akira stared at him, face flushed, and nodded. Iwai had shed his normal heavy duster coat, given the thick summer heat, and sat in his chair wearing a thin, long sleeve black shirt. It was clinging to him fiercely given both the size of his muscles as well as how sweaty he had gotten. Akira seemed mesmerized by it, but approached regardless.

“So you’re using me as an escort now?” he asked, tone just as flirtatious as ever. His eyes roamed over Iwai appreciatively, making the older man blush himself at the boldness. “I think I could do a lot worse.”

Iwai spluttered at that, switching his lollipop to the other side of his mouth in lieu of a response. He stood, absolutely aware that Akira was watching his chest as his muscles moved.

“I’m going to ignore that remark. No, I need you to escort Kaoru for a while. Take him to get dinner at the diner up the road,” he instructed, and Akira’s eyes widened for a moment in surprise. His nearly lewd smirk shifted into a gentle smile, and his chest nearly puffed up.

“Sure thing, boss. Why?” he asked, and Iwai sighed.

“I have somethin’ to take care of with Tsuda. Go on ahead, I’ll meet you guys there after. Kaoru is gonna meet you there,” he said, shooing Akira out of the shop. The teen went willingly, and meandered up to the small diner. The waitress knew him well, and gave him a winning smile while seating him in her section.

“What will it be today, hun?” she asked, and Akira smiled up at her.

“I have someone meeting me here-- he’s a middle schooler, glasses. We’ll order together. Another person might join us later, but I don’t think he’ll be ordering,” he explained, and she nodded before leaving him alone, but still dropped him off a coffee regardless. Akira sipped it gratefully. It was nowhere near as good as Sojiro’s, but it was still pleasant. 

Kaoru arrived quickly, spotting Akira from the door. The older teen waved him over, remembering him from the one time they vaguely met. Kaoru took his seat quickly, and gave Akira a sheepish and somewhat nervous smile.

“Hey, you must be Akira-san. My dad’s told me a bit about you. I’m Kaoru Iwai, it’s nice to meet you,” he said, reaching a hand across the table. Akira shook it and introduced himself as the part timer. Kaoru seemed to calm down after that, and started fidgeting with his fingers.

“My dad’s pretty late, huh? It’s pretty rare for him to invite people out like this,” Kaoru said, glancing back towards the door. Akira nodded, and was considering how best to draw the middle schooler into a distracting conversation. Kaoru seemed to not need it, though, as he turned back towards Akira with an appraising look that he clearly got from his adoptive father.

“He must see something in you, Akira-san. I doubt he would ever admit it, but… well... “ he started, before his face darkened with sadness. “Has he ever, uh… said anything to you? About me… weighing him down?”

Akira blinked at the question, frowning deeply as Kaoru attempted to fold in on himself. He shifted in his seat, brows furrowing. With as much as Iwai talked about Kaoru and cared so deeply about his son, he was confused at how clearly insecure the boy was.

“No. Not even close,” he told him, and Kaoru looked up, blinking back tears. He grinned ruefully, and when he looked at Akira’s open face and gentle and reassuring smile, he started to open up.

“It’s just… he’s been so weird lately. He’s been so stressed out for a while, and I’ve heard him mention my name on the phone a few times… but if I ask him what’s going on, he just tells me not to worry about it,” Kaoru started, frustration evident in his scrunched up face. He continued to go on about how he felt that Iwai didn’t even think of Kaoru as his family.

Kaoru rubbed at his eyes after he ranted everything out, leaning onto the table. Akira was glad that his waitress was able to read the atmosphere and didn’t approach, letting the younger man have a moment to collect himself. Akira studied him, thinking over what he knew of Iwai and knew that the older man cared more than he would ever admit.

“He definitely does,” he said, voice firm. Kaoru blinked at him, and gave him a watery grin.

“You think so?... Hmm… Now that I think about it, have you seen his tattoo? The gecko on his neck, I mean,” he asked before explained that Iwai had gotten the tattoo as a sign of solidarity for Kaoru, when kids started to bully him for a scar on his neck. He said he had gotten the scar from the same accident that had killed his birth parents. Iwai had declared the gecko the family crest, a symbol of protection for the Iwai house. Kaoru was smiling at his memories as he spoke. Akira smiled warmly at him, touched by the story of a dedicated adoptive father trying so hard for his son.

He distinctly did not think of his absent parents and the lack of anything close to a sweet story surrounding them.

Kaoru had just finished wiping his eyes and was chuckling at his own insecurity when Iwai approached, looking more than a little ticked off. Still, Akira could see his eyes light up as he saw his son, and he smiled as he apologized for being late.

“What have you been talkin’ about? Anythin’ good?” he asked, and Akira gave him a sultry wink.

“Girls,” he said, grinning, and Kaoru laughed, but gave him a grateful look. Iwai laughed as well, scratching the back of his head.

“Well, aren’t you a pair of lady killers?” he chuckled, even as his eyes flickered to Akira who was smirking knowingly. He turned his attention to his son instead. “Wait, did you get a girlfriend, Kaoru?”

Kaoru shook his head, then steeled himself. Even though he was grateful for Akira giving him the chance of a distraction, he needed to get his thoughts off his chest to his dad. He saw the high schooler give him an encouraging nod. 

“Th-that’s not what we were talking about,” he started, and Iwai looked at him, slightly startled. Kaoru was using a much more forceful tone than the mild mannered boy normally used. Iwai gave him an odd look.

“Is that right? Well… I won’t be staying. I still have business to take care of. I thought it would be better to tell you in person instead of over the phone,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. Kaoru deflated, and Iwai felt terrible for seeing it. Even Akira was subtly shaking his head in disappointment.

“What business?... Or can you not tell me?” Kaoru asked, pouting. Iwai chuckled a little nervously, smiling on reflex.

“What’s that s’posed to mean?” he asked, and didn’t expect the glare from his part timer while Kaoru sank further in his seat. “It’s just work stuff. Ain’t that right, kid?” 

Akira glared at him for a beat longer before he sighed, looking uncomfortably at Kaoru, who was now looking up at him questioningly. The teen shook his head, choosing instead to ignore the question as he crossed his arms and smirked up at Iwai.

“You should buy us something,” he demanded, and Iwai barked out a laugh.

“That’s not a bad idea. Order whatever ya want, it’s on me,” he offered, and Kaoru sullenly agreed. Iwai would need to talk to him later, but with the situation as it was, he didn’t want to worry the kid if he didn’t have to. He turned to Akira with a frown, crouching down and lowering his voice.

“By the way, I’m almost done figurin’ out what happened with the deal we were talkin’ about,” he confided with a frown. “I’m goin’ now to meet with the guy who set it all up.”

He saw the flash of fear across Akira’s face, and the young man nearly raised out of his seat at Iwai’s statement. He looked at him with surprise. The kid was normally cool headed and cocky, but something had him absolutely spooked. He caught himself quickly and resettled, even as Kaoru also looked at him suspiciously.

“I’ll fill you in on the details some other time, don’t worry. Anyways, it’s all thanks to you, kid. It’s been real nice havin’ a reliable part timer to help ‘round the shop,” he said, grinning as Akira’s cheeks turned pink at the praise. Kaoru looked between the two and gulped.

“... You aren’t doing anything dangerous, are you?” he asked, and Iwai gave him a gentle look and smiled softly.

“Dangerous? ‘Course not,” he scoffed before excusing himself and leaving Kaoru with his wallet. Kaoru nodded, and told him he would see Iwai at home, and the older man left. The middle schooler fell silent, and Akira twisted a curl nervously.

“Hey, he wouldn’t do anything really dangerous. He cares a lot about you, he wouldn’t do anything to put himself in danger,” he said, trying to console the younger kid. Kaoru looked up with a scrutinizing gaze. 

“So how long have you liked my dad?” he asked boldly, and Akira’s eyes widened while a wide grin plastered itself on his face unwillingly. Thankfully, that was when the waitress came by to get their orders. After they ordered a hefty amount of food, she left Akira to answer the awkward question. 

“I mean, he’s a cool guy and a good boss, so--” he started, but cut himself off when Kaoru gave him an unimpressed look. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish.

“Okay, okay. I don’t know when. I just do. Is that… okay?” he asked, feeling off his feet as he asked for a blessing from his boss’s son. Kaoru gave him a gentle smile and nodded, face brightening.

“I don’t mind. You’ve actually been nice and honest with me. Besides, my dad doesn’t get out much at all. He needs someone,” he said, leaning in conspiratorially, and Akira laughed. The two began talking in earnest, not about Iwai, and enjoyed the dinner together. Kaoru had insisted on getting to know each other better, especially since he noticed Akira’s crush on his father.

“I get the feeling we’ll never be rid of you,” he had joked over dinner, and Akira found that he wanted to make that statement true. 

\--

Futaba pulled through on her end of the bargain after the Phantom Thieves had “taken her heart,” and Akira was getting to know the former shut in who was striving to reach out into the world. Getting her out of the house had also started to open up Sojiro, and he found the rest of his summer break going by in a blur as he and his friends came up with activities for the young redhead. He found himself having fun, and nearly felt like a normal teenager. 

It also meant he hadn’t had time to go see his favorite shop owner after having dinner with his son. His friends did a good job at keeping him on his toes. Between getting Futaba out of her shell and training her in Mementos to Morgana’s increasing distance and insecurity, Akira had his hands full balancing everyone socially.

Before he knew it, school was back in session and he was about to head on a school trip overseas. Akira was surprised when Sojiro allowed him to go, but since he had pulled the man’s daughter out of a dark depression and isolation, he figured the older man felt he owed him. Still, Sojiro could only do so much, so Akira needed to get his own pocket money for the trip.

He finally entered Untouchable a few days before he was going to be headed to Hawaii, and he smiled at Iwai as he came in. Once again, the older man had shed his coat and was fanning himself with his hat. The heat wave was unforgiving, but would soon be over. Akira took the opportunity to look over Iwai again before he sauntered up to the counter.

“Do you have any work for me?” he asked, and Iwai grunted, too hot to really want to deal with words. Besides, his mind was still filled with taking down his yakuza rival. 

“Yeah, some orders are in the back. Have at ‘em,” he grumbled, and Akira chuckled before going into the back room and sitting at the desk. He took off his own jacket and pushed up the sleeves of his shirt while he got to work, finding the room stifling despite the hard working fan. The hours passed in a hazy heat as he put together the model gun Iwai had given up on. Eventually Akira also gave up to the laziness of the hot weather, and retreated to bug Iwai.

“I got one finished, at least,” he informed his boss, and Iwai nodded. Akira leaned against the counter in front of him, putting his legs on either side of Iwai’s as he did. His boss looked up at Akira slowly, letting his eyes wander over the younger man’s body as he shifted his lollipop around. Akira noticed and leaned back, letting his shirt ride up over his jeans to reveal a pale strip of skin. His boss stared at him before looking up at him and waiting for him to speak, curious and cautious at the same time.

“I’ll be headed out of country next week. School trip,” Akira informed him, and Iwai nodded, and shifted in his seat.

“Thanks for lettin’ me know, kid. Doubt I’ll have much trouble without you, unless Tsuda gets up to somethin’,” he acknowledged, and Akira tilted his head at him with his same mysterious smile. Iwai bit down on his candy at it. The angle made Akira look almost intimidating, which was only made worse as the younger man gripped the back of his chair and leaned over him.

Akira said nothing as Iwai stared up at him, daring him to do something with his hooded eyes and crooked smile. They were back in their game of back and forth, and Iwai increasingly wanted to call his part timer on his bluff. Even Kaoru had mentioned that he thought Akira was pretty, “for a guy,” and nudged him into the direction of acceptance. It was a losing battle, he knew, to continue to resist Akira’s flirtatious manner. Still, he enjoyed the game.

The teen’s lascivious smirk grew as he touched the tip of his finger to Iwai’s gecko tattoo, trailing it with his fingernail and enjoying watching as Iwai’s eyes closed and his lips slightly parted at the action. His other hand came to the other side of his neck and mirrored the actions, before his fingers started to trace lower down, over his shoulders and the top of his chest. Iwai had thick, strong muscles that made Akira hum in approval, making the older man open his eyes and fix a darkly lustful look on him.

“Akira,” Iwai growled as the cheeky teen raked his fingernails lightly over his chest, his hands gripping the arms of his chair tightly. The teen in question grinned, wild and sharp, and leaned in closer.

“Iwai,” he all but purred in return, and Iwai grabbed his hands, then grabbed Akira’s chin. He could feel the excited puffs of breath coming out of him, and could imagine his heart beating faster as Akira waited for Iwai to push him away. Instead, the older man leaned up and, just inches away from his lips touching Akira’s, tilted to rest his forehead against him instead. Their noses bumped and he could still feel the young man’s quickened breathing, but he wasn’t quite brave enough yet. 

His thumb brushed across Akira’s full bottom lip, and an airy sigh released. Iwai smirked at the sound, but still pulled back instead of just taking his mouth like he wanted. In response, Akira bit his thumb. Iwai groaned at the sensation, especially as Akira’s tongue darted out to soothe the bite. The younger man’s eyes glittered dangerously, and he began to kiss Iwai’s hand.

 

Fuck. Iwai had been around the block a few times, but the sinful way Akira kissed and nipped his hand was ungodly. He had never experienced anything as seductive, and Akira stared him down the entire time. Iwai could feel his dick twitch in response to the younger man kissing his fingertip before sucking on it gently, teasing him beyond relief. He let out a sigh and wet his lips, nearly whimpering when Akira ceased his ministrations. God damn.

“Be careful while I’m gone, gun daddy,” Akira said with a smirk, pulling away swiftly and leaving Iwai reeling. He stood up with a growl, following Akira’s quick steps to the door. He wasn’t quite fast enough, considering the head start, and Akira ignored his name being called as he slipped out and left Iwai to arrange himself more comfortably. Iwai knew one thing for sure after that interaction-- he would be doing a hell of a lot more than tease Akira as soon as he was given the chance.


	8. “You damn tease.”

Hawaii was an interesting diversion. Even though all Ryuji and Mishima wanted to talk about was the Phantom Thieves, Akira was able to feel more like a normal teenager instead of feeling like a savior to the downtrodden. It was incredible, and he relished it.

He couldn't keep his mind off of Iwai at all. Every time he saw someone with a buzz cut or hat, he had to double check that it wasn’t his boss. He was worried about Tsuda and his threats, and wondered if the Yakuza thug had made any further threats. Akira was very stressed over not being available to help if anything further developed, but managed to appear relaxed among his friends.

He also continued to worry about Morgana, who had grown incredibly closed off after Futaba had joined the team as Oracle. Akira found himself missing the furball by his side as a constant narrator and companion, even if just for a few days.

Ann staying in his room with Ryuji made for an interesting night just before they were to return to Tokyo, and Akira enjoyed the back and forth between the blondes before they settled for the evening.

“Hey Akira?” Ann asked after taking Ryuji to task for his typical but shallow answer to what he liked in a girl. Akira braced himself for her inquiry into what sort of girls he liked, and he remained quiet for a moment as he considered opening up to his two closest friends since moving to Tokyo. He suspected Ann would fare better than Ryuji-- he knew that she and Shiho had been romantically involved before Kamoshida came.along. However, he had no idea how Ryuji would react.

Still, he was Joker. He was brave and wouldn't let society tell him who he was and was not allowed to love. He took a deep breath at Ann’s prompting and, covering his eyes with his arm, opened his mouth.

“What if I like boys?” He asked quietly, and for a moment neither of his friends responded. Mishima’s absence only made him feel more secure. He heard Ryuji shoot up off the floor.

“For real?!” The excitable blond asked, and Akira could only nod while Ann threw a pillow at Ryuji.

“I have someone I like. A guy. I doubt he could feel the same, but… there is that,” he followed up, and Ann made a cute sound.

“Oh come on, Akira! You’re clearly the coolest guy that anyone could ever meet. I'm sure there’s something there. Who is it?” Ann asked, hoping over to his bed and sitting excitedly beside him. Ryuji recovered and sat on the other side.

“For real! You’re super awesome! Like, there’s so much that we owe you… that I owe you. Anyone who can't see how great you are is a freakin’ idiot. So who is it?” He joined in, smiling wide at his best friend. Akira smiled, grateful, and sat up.

“Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it. The thing is… he’s, uh, older,” he started, and the two leaned in, waiting for him to continue. Akira sighed, and twirled his curl nervously.

“Uh, so Ryuji… do you remember the gun shop you introduced me to?” Akira asked, and Ryuji nodded without understanding. Akira put his face in his hands, hiding his embarrassment. Ann, at least, seemed to pick it up.

“Ohhh, is it that owner? Ryuji said he was super scary!” She said, and Akira nodded while Ryuji gasped loudly. He gave a sheepish grin. 

“What?! That guy is terrifying! I thought he was gonna kill me for breathin’ wrong!” Ryuji ranted, and Akira grinned coyly.

“Well, that’s you. He’s actually pretty sweet, if you can stand up to him. I’m pretty mean to him, actually. He just laughs at me,” Akira explained, blushing and grateful for the dark of the room. Ann squealed delightedly and nudged his shoulder. 

“That's so typical of you, Joker! Well, I hope it all works out,” she said, clearly happy for her friend while Ryuji seemed more shocked at who his crush was instead of his gender. Akira sighed, relieved. That was three down, including Morgana. He still had three more to tell, but he would need more time to build up his courage again.

“Just… don't tell the others yet. I'm not… I don't want to deal with it quite yet, you know? Especially since I don't think he really sees me as anything more than a part timer,” he asked, and was not surprised that they readily agreed. 

“Don’t worry, Akira. Though I think everyone will be just fine with it, when you decide to talk about it,” Ann assured him, and Akira was glad to find he believed her. 

Mishima called out from the bathroom then, and Akira returned to just being a normal teen for the rest of the trip, a little lighter of spirits for having confided in his friends.

\--

Akira was panicking. Morgana had run out, and he had no idea where the hell he had gone. Damn Morgana and damn Ryuji, but he also damned himself for not knowing the words to say to have diffused the situation. He should have seen it coming, but he didn’t. He was a useless leader and a terrible friend.

When days passed and they still had no contact from Morgana, Akira decided to go check our Okumura’s palace. It was the most likely place for Morgana to have gone, but it still felt entirely wrong going without the cat.

Of course, meeting again had just been another disaster. 

He desperately missed his companion, and worried that he was in danger and hiding the fact. He didn't know who the Beauty Thief was, though he had an idea, and he was determined to find it out.

They had finally made contact with Haru, who had turned down Makoto’s effort to team up, when Iwai contacted Akira and the teen realized he had not seen the gun shop owner in nearly a month.

For the first time, Akira did not instantly go to help around the shop like Iwai had asked. He needed to stake out Mementos to talk to Morgana, again. He needed to figure out how to talk Ryuji down so he wouldn't set off Morgana into leaving again. He had to find a way to make the team work all over again.

He still felt a guilty twist to his gut as he ignored the summons and went down into the Metaverse.

Iwai felt worried. In the months that he had known Akira, the kid had never failed to show up to the shop when messaged. There was nothing serious that caused him to want to call Akira over. He needed help with Tsuda, but it was not pressing yet, and he had a good handle on his custom orders. He just wanted to see Akira.

It was not a realization that he knew how to handle. Akira was fun and teasing, and kept Iwai on his toes. He never knew how the young man would be from one moment to the next, and their interactions felt like a dangerous game that he was losing. The last time they had met still played constantly on his mind, and he regretted not grabbing Akira and kissing him feverishly like he had wanted, age difference be damned.

Another part of him also wanted to learn more about him. Akira held the knowledge of most of Iwai’s dirty secrets, more than his own son, and Iwai knew nothing of the younger man. He was a beautiful mystery that he wanted to solve. 

Still, he tried not to let it get to him. He knew that his part timer had an insanely busy schedule, and he wasn't about to make any demands of his time. He still missed Akira, though.

Days passed before the curly haired teen finally walked through his door, looking tired and stressed all over again. He sauntered up to the counter and leaned against it, smirking at Iwai as he did.

“Miss me?” He asked, and Iwai grunted, looking back down at his catalog.

“Y’never responded to my message. Almost thought you didn't like me anymore,” Iwai teased, and he enjoyed hearing Akira’s laugh at his statement. The teen focused his gaze on Iwai’s face, his smile small and shy.

“Of course I still like you,” he said quietly, nudging Iwai’s leg with his own. The older man sat down his magazine and gently placed his hand on Akira’s hip. The younger man nearly stopped breathing at the contact, and watched Iwai through narrowed eyes as his fingers teased the small strip of skin between jeans and shirt. 

“Good,” Iwai all but growled, letting his fingers ghost along Akira’s hips and appreciating the restraint he had to refrain from becoming a twitching mess. Akira watched him with an intense gaze, hungrily eyeing the older man as he smirked.

“Iwai…” Akira whispered, no more than a moan, and he placed his hands over his, stilling them where they were. The older man wasn’t done yet, as he spit out his finished lollipop into the trash can and brought his mouth forward to kiss Akira’s stomach. He gasped, a breathy sound, and Iwai used his nose to push up Akira’s shirt and bit the skin covering his hip bone. The teen cried out and brought his hand up to scratch Iwai’s scalp, shaking with nerves and desire. His tongue traced just above the edge of Akira’s jeans, teasing a whine out of the younger man before he pulled away and stood abruptly, having to catch Akira as his legs had turned to jelly.

“You damn tease,” Akira growled, glaring viciously at Iwai who smirked unrepentantly.

“Then what does that make you?” He asked in return, laughing gruffly at Akira’s frustrated expression. He shuffled around him and walked off to the back, knowing that his part timer was following by his grumbled threats and curses.

“Actually, I’m glad you're here for a different reason. Listen up, I figured out Tsuda’s weakness,” he started, and saw Akira sigh before schooling himself into being serious. There was a dangerous edge to his eyes as he waited for Iwai to continue.

“When you and Kaoru were havin’ dinner, I was gettin’ information from an old friend. Our suspicions were right. Tsuda’s behind the Hong Kong deal. He paid them off for an arsenal of weapons. But if he was smugglin’ all that around, why would he come to my shop? If he has all that shit, why would he need my modified weapons? It don’t add up, right?” Iwai asked, and Akira nodded, thinking himself.

“That piece of shit is tryin’ to lord his position over me, but he ain't got shit now! What I'm sayin’ is, I don't think those Hong Kong guys ever delivered on their end of the deal. They prolly just took the money and stiffed him. But somethin’ seems off. Masa was sayin’ the whole clan was treatin’ it like some massive business success. That means Tsuda’s been lyin’ to them the whole time, and usin’ me to cover his mistake,” he continued. 

Akira started twisting a curl around his finger as he appeared to be considering everything Iwai was telling him. It was adding up to a bad picture for Tsuda, but desperate men tended to take desperate actions, and Akira had a bad feeling about all of it. 

“What a crafty bastard,” he muttered, and Iwai barked a laugh and chuckled out his agreement. He had never had a great opinion of Tsuda, and it had only gotten worse.

“Don’t matter now, though. I’m gonna tell the clan what’s up, and he won't be tryin’ to intimidate us anymore,” he vowed, and Akira’s eyes widened. He wasn't sure that was exactly the right path, but Iwai seemed determined.

“Then, Kaoru won't get labelled like I was. He’ll get to be a regular, respected adult. Like I never got to be… but first, I gotta talk to Tsuda. Gotta follow the yakuza code.”

Akira outright stared at Iwai. Was the man an idiot? That was incredibly dangerous! Iwai kept speaking, ignorant of or ignoring Akira’s increasing distress.

“... Listen, if anythin’ happens to me, take care of Kaoru, okay?” He asked, and Akira felt actual tears start coming to his eyes. He blinked, startled by the emotion that heartfelt request brought out of him. Iwai watched him carefully, and accepted Akira’s shaky nod.

“Are you doing this alone?” The teen asked, and Iwai gave a sharp nod, narrowing his eyes as he looked down. He couldn't stand the worried expression on Akira’s face. The kid was supposed to just see him as someone fun to flirt with, a dangerous conquest. He didn't need him to have actual feelings involved. Feelings were… messy.

“Yeah. I know he’d be able to get rid of me no problem without any witnesses there, but I've got to put an end to this,” he said, grim determination putting an edge to his voice. 

Akira stared at him silently, wanting desperately to protect the older man but knowing his powers only worked in Mementos. Even if he was good in a fight, a real gun would kill him.

“Besides, no one would come with me. Unless… hey, I've got you. Come with me to meet Tsuda,” Iwai offered, and instantly regretted it. What if the kid got hurt? He would never be able to live with himself if anything happened to Akira, and the meeting would be incredibly dangerous. 

Nothing prepared him for the fierce look on Akira’s face as he heard the offer. The teen looked dangerous himself as he nodded his quick assent, and the gun dealer had to remind himself of the constant amount of weapons the kid bought and brought back, broken down and damaged beyond belief. Besides, he also knew that hurting civilians would create too big an issue for Tsuda to handle, something he was relying on. He told Akira as much.

“With that settled, how about a reward? You've been helping me so much with this and around the shop, how about I--” he started, but was cut off by Akira grabbing his face and kissing him aggressively.

Iwai instantly began kissing back, wrapping his strong arms around Akira’s thin frame and digging his hands into the younger man’s back, pulling him even closer. Their lips were bruising under the rough kiss, needful and angry and desperate. There was no hesitation as Iwai returned the kiss, even with all that he worried about it. He wanted it, he needed it. And he was going to fucking take it.

Akira pulled away for air, and he looked up at Iwai as he panted. His lips were swollen and he wore a dark expression, angry and full of desire all at once. It was dangerous and beautiful, and made Akira seem infinitely older than he was.

“After we meet with Tsuda, don’t you dare put yourself in a dangerous situation again,” he growled, and Iwai wanted to laugh if not for the very serious expression Akira wore. He put up a hand and nodded to promise. Only then did the teen sigh and calm down, instead wrapping his arms around Iwai. He grunted at the intense pressure of the hug, and placed his arms gently around him in return.

“I won't, kid,” he swore, and Akira nodded but didn't let go. 

“You can’t get rid of me now,” he mumbled into Iwai’s chest, and he smiled softly and tightened his grip.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he promised, and Akira squeezed him tight before pulling away, a sheepish look upon his face. Iwai leaned down and kissed him gently, and smiled at the bright look in his eyes, but frown with concern as they darkened and he pulled away. It was quickly replaced with a sly grin.

“Good. Now, as much as I want to make out with your face, I unfortunately have plans for tomorrow evening and need to rest up,” Akira said, apologizing. Iwai squinted, but grinned anyways.

“Well, I'm sure you’ll more than make up for it,” he said, voice deep and full of promise. Akira smirked, showing his teeth, and placed a hand on Iwai’s chest before trailing a finger down, grazing over his groin. Iwai growled, and Akira grinned again.

“Absolutely, gun daddy,” he purred, then slipped out of the room like a cat. Iwai laughed and sat in his chair, wondering exactly how fucked he was now that he had finally given in to his part timer.


	9. “This isn’t over.”

The meeting with Tsuda was easy to set up, and Iwai messaged Akira to meet him at the shop. He wasn't surprised when he showed up promptly, even though the younger man had never explained his previous absence. His part timer walked with a determined air and stood beside Iwai as he waited for him to explain his summons.

“I'm about to go meet Tsuda. You can still say no, ya know… it would probably be safer for you if you did,” Iwai warned, but at Akira’s cold smile he dropped it. He should have known the kid would go bounding into danger.

“It's under the girder bridge. Stick close to me,” Iwai explained, and Akira nodded and followed him out of the store. He kept a respectful distance between them, not wanting to make the kid a bigger target than he would be already. Thankfully, the walk was quick and kept him from second guessing and sending the kid running off for his own safety.

They made it to the bridge, and Akira could barely take in the graffiti before Tsuda showed up and Iwai tilted his hat down. He explained what he knew to Tsuda, who looked increasingly upset at Iwai’s accusations. Akira squared his shoulders and kept his hand on his hip, close to where he kept his dagger hidden. He was glad Morgana still left him to his own devices when it came to the gun shop-- the cat would be screeching at him by then.

Tsuda finally took notice of him, and snarled.

“Wait, that's the brat from your shop! I shoulda known he was workin’ for you!” He accused, and Iwai nodded.

“I brought 'im as my witness,” he explained, and Akira narrowed his eyes, knowing from Tsuda’s reaction that he looked just as threatening as he did as Joker. Iwai continued, not seeing the threat in Akira’s face.

“Now, I’d be happy to keep my mouth shut about your failed deal… if you stay away from my family. That includes me, Kaoru… and this kid here,” Iwai demanded, nodding towards Akira. The teen blinked but did not betray his surprise at being included as family.

“Hm. Still sticking to the old codes, even in retirement?” Tsuda sneered, and Iwai just glared.

“Of course. Rules ain't made to be broken,” Iwai replied, standing firm. Tsuda smiled, looking nostalgic yet cruel.

“Heh, you're as sharp as ever Mune. Glad to see you haven't lost your touch. I bet we never would have been duped by those Hong Kong motherfuckers if you were still my right hand man. Instead, I'm stuck dealing the mess that idiot Masa made for me…” Tsuda said wistfully before sighing and turning his attention to Akira. He looked almost regretful.

“Hey, kid. Sorry for getting a respectable teenager like yourself wrapped up in all this bullshit. I hope dealing with this Yakuza bullshit hasn't been too much trouble,” he offered, and Akira pushed up his glasses, smirk returning.

“Actually, it's been kind of fun,” he quipped, and Iwai sighed.

“Don't antagonize him…” he growled, fixing a glare on his part timer who still wore a wild look, unabashed.

“Listen, Tsuda-san. I gotta be honest with you. This whole thing has been a real goddamn pain in my ass. But it's over. You're finished,” Iwai snarled, and Tsuda smirked.

“I don't think you understand, Mune,” he said in a nearly sweet tone before pulling out a gun. Iwai stepped protectively in front of Akira, who reached up to his face to rip off his mask before remembering where he was. His gun resistant Personas howled inside him, wanting to take Tsuda apart for the audacity.

“You aren't the one who gets to make decisions around here!” Tsuda spat, looking more than a little deranged in his fury. 

“The hell are you doin’...!? Iwai muttered, terrified as he stared down the barrel of a gun.

“I'm done playing with you. You're gonna make me what I need one way or another. And if you can't do it fast, your son and this little 'witness’ are going to pay for it!” Tsuda threatened.

“Christ, Tsuda! You aren't some random thug, you're s’posed to be better than this…!” Iwai snapped, fear evident in his voice. Tsuda scoffed.

“Times have changed, Mune. You're hung up on bullshit like pride and duty. But you know what? Nobody gives a fuck about your code of honor anymore!” he howled. Iwai shook his head and cursed. 

“Now you listen to me you piece of shit,” Tsuda bit out, patience wearing thin. “You’re going to make me those guns, and you're going to do it fast. Don’t make me tell you again.”

With that warning, Tsuda backed away with the gun trained on them before turning a corner and running away. Iwai stared at where Tsuda had been in disbelief.

“I’m such a fuckin’ idiot… that guy ain't the Tsuda I know…” he said, voice low. Akira looked at him, unsure if he should provide a comforting touch or if the adrenaline from the encounter would make the older man freak out. He slowly placed his hand in Iwai’s and gave a comforting squeeze. Iwai returned it with an intense squeeze of his own.

“Based on what happened here, I’m done for the moment I give him the guns he’s lookin’ for,” Iwai muttered, then cursed under his breath. He had been so sure that he had the upper hand, but he hadn't counted on Tsuda resorting to such low tactics. He looked up at Akira and felt fear grip him at the kid being a target, just for getting involved with him.

“I ain't got anymore tasks for you, kid. Go home, forget everything that happened,” he ordered, speaking of both the feud with the Yakuza as well as their flirtatious manner. He should have known that Akira would refuse.

“I can’t,” he refused firmly, and Iwai growled with frustration. Akira could never do the easy thing, or what Iwai truly needed. He grabbed Akira’s shirt and pulled him closer, face desperate and angry.

“Then find a way to make yourself forget, fast,” he growled before releasing him and looking away.

“I… I'm gonna make those guns for him. I gotta do all I can to protect Kaoru, and if that includes helpin’ out that psychopath, so be it. It’ll be safer for you, too, if you just stop comin’ around. Tsuda won’t target you if you get scared off, so please…” he pleaded, but Akira still fixed him with an even glare. Something flickered in his eyes, dark and calculating, and when he spoke it was in a calm tone.

“What’s his full name?” He asked, catching Iwai off guard. He blinked a few times, confused.

“Huh…? Why do you… well, it's probably better that you know. His name is Akimitsu Tsuda, he used to be famous around here as a martial artist back in the day. If you see him around town, just run. Get the police if you gotta,” Iwai warned, and Akira just nodded with a chilling smile.

“... Thanks for all your help, kid. Take care of yourself,” he said, his voice slightly cracking as he found himself in pain at telling Akira goodbye. The teen stepped up to him and tugged at his jacket, pulling him down to capture his lips. 

Iwai allowed it, and kissed him back passionately. He tasted Akira on his tongue and craved more, but it was over just as soon as it began.

“This isn’t over,” Akira vowed, eyes deadly serious, and he grinned wide. Iwai found himself equally afraid and turned on. The teen then turned and quickly walked off, phone already in hand.

“What are you plannin’? Don’t do anythin’ stupid!” Iwai called after him, then sighed. Akira was a willful brat, but he was smart. He was planning something. Iwai just had no idea why he needed Tsuda’s name.


	10. “I cannot stand for such vulgar violence to pass."

“Guys, I know we’re busy with Haru’s father, but we need to make a stop in Mementos,” Akira brought up from his spot near the table in his room. He had gathered everyone the next day after being threatened by Tsuda and forced to leave by Iwai. Everyone looked up at him questioningly, and he shifted in his chair and looked at Morgana. He’d told the cat everything as soon as he met back up with him, and he was livid.

“It’s a member of the yakuza who has been threatening the owner of the weapon shop we use. Recently, he said that unless Iwai-san makes him the guns he’s after, he’ll go after his family. He even went so far as to pull a gun on Akira. He needs to be stopped quickly,” Morgana explained, stomping his paw on the table. Ann and Ryuji gasped and looked at Akira with shock, but he kept his head down. He still hadn’t told the others about his fumbling start of something with Iwai, and none of them knew that he had kissed the older man. He didn’t want to make it sound like he was putting himself first.

“That’s completely awful! Of course we need to change his heart!” Haru gasped, face determined. Makoto nodded her assent as well.

“Yes, even the police could be too slow to effectively protect Iwai-san. We’ll help you take him down,” she promised.

“I cannot stand for such vulgar violence to pass. You can count on me, leader,” Yusuke vowed, crossing his arms across his chest. Ann gently touched Akira’s hand, a subtle motion, and nodded as well.

“Of course we’ll take down Tsuda. Let’s go immediately,” she offered, and everyone voiced their agreement before they took off to the subways and into the depths of Mementos. Futaba was easily able to locate Shadow Tsuda’s position with her insight as Oracle, and Akira drove the Morgana Bus down to his level, avoiding other shadows as he went. They were on a mission, it was no time to just pick on shadows for training reasons. 

He asked for Morgana, Ann, and Ryuji to help him take down the crooked mobster as the approached the shadow, and his oldest friends gladly agreed to help. Especially knowing the special connection Akira had to the request. Akira approached Shadow Tsuda cautiously, worried about what the shadow self would say to him. His friends encouraged him, and he moved forward.

“Hey, you bastards! So you’re the ones working for Iwai! Who said you could come in here?” he snarled, then leaned forward and stared hard at Akira, who held steady under the gaze.

“Huh, you almost look like that kid he’s fuckin’. As if I don’t know about his disgustin’ habits,” Shadow Tsuda sneered, and Akira let out a snarl that was covered by Ryuji’s loud insults. He knew he would take down that monster in just moments, and forced himself to remain calm. Shadow Tsuda moved on regardless.

“This is my territory! I’m the Habisha Clan’s second-in-command! Don’t come here without my say so! Don’t talk to breathe without my permission. You guys aren’t yakuza, so you obey me!” the Shadow continued, becoming unhinged. “Those are the rules!”

“There are no such rules, not that you’d follow them,” Akira spat, and Shadow Tsuda frowned before shifting into his full Shadow form. 

The fight was easier than Akira expected, or wanted. Whoever had so threatened Iwai should have been a challenge. Akira crushed him nearly single handedly, with the fury of his frustration giving him strength. He took the weird armor left behind after Tsuda’s sob story and promise to do better, feeling thoroughly frustrated. He wanted an immediate result, but knew it could take time for the change of heart to take effect.

“That was amazing, Joker!” Morgana gushed, praising the leader. He smirked and nodded before leading everyone out of Mementos, stopping to bash some Shadows on the way. Just going to the place left everyone exhausted afterwards, so they might as well use the time for training while they were there.

By the end, Akira had managed to work out his pent up aggression, and they reconvened at the entrance.

“Say, Joker… I know that Shadows tend to say some messed up stuff that they think, but is there anything you need to tell us?” Futaba asked, her goggled pushed up to reveal her curious face. Makoto, Yusuke, and Haru all looked to him as well, though Ryuji and Ann seemed more curious as to if Iwai actually returned Akira’s feelings. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well, sort of. First of all. Iwai and I haven't… I mean we don’t… you know,” he started, shifting uncomfortably on his feet while Futaba leaned in,a leering smile on her face, and Ann and Ryuji deflated for him.

“But, there is the start of something there. I’m in love with him, even if he doesn't know it. And, er… we kissed.” He paused while Ann squealed excitedly. “But given that Tsuda was threatening Kaoru’s life and mine, he told me to never come back around. Tsuda would kill him without hesitation to keep his mistake from coming to light… I couldn't stand to let that happen.”

There was a long silence before Makoto finally spoke.

“Joker, I'm glad you decided to tell us. We would gladly help fight for the ones you love. After all, haven't you had us help out Ms. Kawakami from those terrible people, or that doctor, Takemi, from her old boss? This was a much more serious situation. I'm glad you trusted us to help you,” she said, speaking from the heart with a convincing smile.

“Yeah, bro! This is like, super intense boss level serious, but we would help out. Metaverse or not. You’re not just our leader, you’re our friend. This is a family. And we love you,” Futaba declared, grinning wide, and Akira flushed while he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck again.

“I must say, I need to see this Iwai-san to determine if aesthetically, they are a proper fit but… I trust your judgement, Joker. May Tsuda’s heart change soon,” Yusuke said, hand to his face as he delivered his speech. 

“You already know we were rooting for you,” Ann said, wrapping an arm around Ryuji’s neck and winking while he gave a thumbs up. Truly, Akira was surrounded by people who loved and supported him. Even if he liked men, and even if the man he liked had gotten himself into a deadly situation.

“Oh shit! I just realized somethin’!” Ryuji suddenly exclaimed, capturing everyone’s attention.

“Didn’t Tsuda’s Shadow say somethin’ about Iwai’s son? Does that mean he’s a daddy?” Ryuji asked, utterly unrepentant even as Ann shoved him and everyone groaned. But they couldn’t be mad. After all, it got Akira to burst out laughing.

\--

Iwai couldn’t believe it. He put down his phone and stared at it a while longer. Tsuda was calling off the threats, had apologized for going as far as he had. Though he didn't mention the kid, he knew Akira had to have convinced him somehow.

At first, he wanted to just let it lie. After all, he wasn't sure if Tsuda was bluffing. A couple of weeks passed and Akira hadn’t come by, but Iwai finally broke down and messaged him to come over. The teen came through the door with some trepidation, eyes seeking out Iwai’s face.

“Let’s talk in the back,” the older man asked, and Akira followed eagerly. Once back there, Iwai told him the good news, and Akira nearly melted with relief, even as some stress still kept him tense. After all, they were only a couple days out from Okumura's deadline and he still hadn’t made any changes besides closing himself off.

“What makes a man change that fast?” Iwai wondered out loud, and he saw Akira shrug his shoulders with his cold, knowing smile.

“He’s matured,” he offered, and Iwai narrowed his eyes.

“An old man like that shoulda finished maturin’ years ago. You or Kaoru, maybe… but not Tsuda. Somethin’ fishy is still goin’ on here but as long as Tsuda’s gone then I’m fine. I guess this means our deal is up, though. I mean, your end of the bargain was helpin’ me run off Tsuda… and you did that, and then some.” Iwai said, and Akira looked scared for a moment that he would still send him away. Iwai was quick to sooth away that stricken expression.

“Thing is though, I don’t really wanna fire ya. You’re still a real benefit around the shop. I know kids these days have all kinds of commitments and all, and you can say no…” he offered, hoping that Akira would pick up the double meaning. By the brat’s smirk, he definitely did.

“I'm back, baby,” Akira quipped, and Iwai barked out a laugh before smiling softly at his part timer. Akira stepped up closer and smiled dangerously, biting his bottom lip as he did.

“I’ll be countin’ on you, Akira,” Iwai said quietly, and Akira’s eyes widened at Iwai using his name instead of just calling him a kid. He grinned wide and threw his arms around Iwai, kissing him into a frenzy. 

By the time he left the shop, his lips were swollen and bruised and more than a few bite marks marred his neck, but Iwai was much worse off.


	11. “I'm just… a burden, aren't I?”

When Iwai messaged Akira for help at the shop, the teen arrived looking more harried than ever. There was a darkness surrounding him that Iwai hadn't seen before, with a distant look to his eyes. Given the recent news surrounding Okumura's sudden death and the witch hunt for the Phantom Thieves, Iwai couldn't help but wonder if the kid was tied in close to it. 

Still, Akira smiled as soon as he saw Iwai, and a layer of his exhaustion melted away. The older man almost felt bad about setting him to dismantling all the prototypes Tsuda had ordered, and preparing them to be destroyed. The kid worked hard at his task, and finished quicker than Iwai would have thought. Someone had come in to look at an antique gun in the meantime. 

Iwai spoke in hushed tones to Akira when he emerged from the back room, turning his attention away from the customer.

“... About Tsuda… I heard that he got excommunicated from the clan. I guess his boss heard about what happened. Serves him right, huh?” He asked, grinning a little viciously. Tsuda may have previously been like a brother to him, but anyone who threatened his family deserved a harsh punishment. Akira just shrugged.

“I feel kind of bad for him,” he muttered, and Iwai rolled his eyes. Akira was a fierce little brat, but sometimes he forgot how soft he could be.

“Look, kid. Life’s gonna be real tough if you stay soft, yeah? This whole thing has been real crazy, though. I mean, Tsuda used to be a role model for followin’ the code. I guess that's what he meant but the times’re changin’...” He said, scratching his chin. His phone rang, and Akira watched with interest as he responded to the person on the other end, saying something about Tsuda. He was surprised to hear Iwai exclaim loudly.

Then Iwai started cursing at the other person on the phone, and Akira’s defenses raised. He hated seeing the panicked expression on Iwai’s face, mixed with fury. The other person hung up, and Iwai cursed loudly again, standing angrily from his chair.

“That bastard Masa’s abducted Kaoru!” Iwai snarled, and Akira’s eyes widened in shock. He didn't want to picture the middle schooler alone and afraid, and shook those thoughts away. He remembered Masa was a colossal idiot.

“Will Kaoru be okay?” He asked quietly, feeling stupid, but Iwai just shook his head.

“He damn well better be. That motherfucker! He knew about Tsuda’s failure the whole time... I bet he was just waitin’ for a chance like this!” He yelled, and it was enough for the customer to decide to leave.

“We need to hurry,” Akira pressed, and Iwai nodded, pushing off his anger in favor of action.

“They're at Seaside Park, let’s go,” he said, and led the two off while Akira sent a message to his group chat-- an update and a call to standby, just in case. Then, he put it on mute so he wouldn't be distracted by the influx of messages.

The train ride was nearly unbearable, but at least there were no delays. Akira spotted Masa and Kaoru, and led Iwai to approach.

“Let Kaoru go,” the older man bit out, but Masa just gave him a cruel smile.

“Take it easy, Mune-san. All I did was give him a friendly ride home from cram school, yeah? Ain't that right, Kaoru-kun?” Masa asked, pointing his knife at Kaoru, who shrank away.

“I'm sorry, Dad… he said he had some stuff to tell me about you…” Kaoru apologized, and Akira felt his heart clench. Iwai softened next to him, but Masa kept talking.

“Man, ain't he a great kid?” He teased, and Akira stepped forward, pissed off.

“Cut the bullshit!” He demanded in the same tone he used in negotiations with Shadows, and Masa gulped for a second before looking him over.

“... And what are you, Mune-san’s little errand boy? Wait… I remember you from the diner. You're that weirdo!” He said, and Iwai snarled.

“I said, let Kaoru go!” He demanded, and Masa gave him an annoyed look.

“Fuck off, I heard you the first time,” he sniffed. Iwai deflated, though he kept his glare.

“... What do you want from me?” He asked, and Masa smiled.

“Great question! You know all those nice prototypes you made for Tsuda? Would be great to get my hands on them. There's a lieutenant position open now with Tsuda gone, but I still gotta prove my worth before I can get it. And you're gonna help me do it.”

Iwai sighed and crossed his arms, shaking his head.

“Sorry, Masa, but you have some shit timin’. We just broke 'em all down. There's nothin’ left,” he explained, but a look of rage just flashed across Masa’s face. 

“You think that's gonna dissuade me?... You know I know everything about Kaoru’s situation, right?” He hissed, and Kaoru’s face shot up as he looked at a shocked Iwai.

“My… situation? Dad, what does he mean?” He asked, voice quiet and concerned. Akira looked between the father and son with worry. That was not the best time for a coming clean, but Masa seemed to enjoy the pressure put on Iwai. The thug grinned coldly.

“Don't you remember what I told you in the car, Kaoru-kun? About your dad? What he thinks of you?” He teased cruelly, and Kaoru flinched and looked down again, accepting his words.

“I'm just… a burden, aren't I?” Kaoru asked, and Akira’s chest hurt with the sad yet accepting tone coming from the young boy. He heard his own thoughts echoed through him, and instead tried to figure out the best way to disarm Masa.

“That’s it, isn't it? Dad, you can tell me the truth! I can handle it!” Kaoru yelled. Iwai slashed his arm down, as if he could slap those words away.

“Damn it, that ain't true! I'm tryin’ to protect you, Kaoru!” Iwai denied, and Masa sneered, bored after his attempt at emotional manipulation failed.

“Hey this family bullshit is real touching and all, but we're supposed to be negotiating here, remember?” He demanded. “Let's start with the delivery date. The sooner the better, yeah?”

Iwai called him a bastard and Masa smiled, shrugging his shoulders.

“Don't give me that shit, Mune-san. None of this would have happened if you hadn't have taken the brat in,” he sneered, and Kaoru wilted.

“I knew it… everything really is all my fault…” he muttered, tears freely flowing. Iwai clenched his fists, and Akira shook his head.

“Tell him the truth,” he ordered, and Iwai looked up at him.

“Akira…” He breathed, but a subtle nod of encouragement gave him the strength to agree. Masa demanded to know what they were talking about, and Iwai faced him with determination.

And he told Kaoru the truth. The young boy was in disbelief at first, but as Iwai continued, he grew a sense of resolve. Masa seemed to not notice, as he just burst out laughing and making fun of Iwai for actually telling him.

He went on about Kaoru's birth mother, but Akira just watched Kaoru's face for his reaction. He was upset, and unsure, but he seemed calmer at the same time. He finally had an answer for the missing pieces. Through Masa’s cruel teasing and laughter, Akira watched as the younger boy straightened up, and a firm look took hold on his face.

“Enough.” He commanded, and it shocked Masa into finally shutting up. “All that may be true, but it's in the past now! I'm not a child anymore, a stupid secret like that won't get to me!”

Iwai and Masa both made sounds of surprise, but Akira smiled encouragingly. He knew Kaoru would have been able to handle the secret of his adoption. The kid was smart and tough, especially to have Iwai as a father.

“We might not be connected by blood, but we’re connected by the gecko…! So you know what? I don't care what you have to say to us. Munehisa Iwai is my dad!” Kaoru continued passionately, and Akira glanced up to see the proud look in Iwai’s eyes.

“Atta boy, Kaoru,” the older man chuckled, and then frowned and turned to Masa, who looked uncomfortable at having somehow facilitated a warm family moment.

“Listen, Masa… let's put an end to this right here, right now. We can start fresh,” he offered, and Masa laughed snidely.

“You still don't get it, do you? Kaoru-kun’s--” Masa started, but was cut off by a mysterious new voice.

“No, Masa, you’re the one who doesn't get it.” Tsuda said coldly as he approached, looking as intimidating as ever with a gun trained on Masa. Iwai eyed him cautiously, more than a little grateful for the back up. Akira narrowed his eyes, still a little angry from the words of the Shadow Tsuda.

“...you really fucked up this time.” He continued, and Masa shrank back.

“Tsuda?! But… you…! I mean, sir!” He started spluttering, and Tsuda sneered.

“Don't give me that. I know you ratted me out to the boss. You never were good at keeping your mouth shut.” Everyone word was as sharp as a knife. Masa shook his head, eyes more than a little panicked.

“N-no! It wasn't me!” He tried, but Tsuda looked less than impressed.

“Uh huh. And what do you think you're doing, waving a knife about like that? Huh?!” He yelled, and Masa lowered the knife and his head before apologizing. Tsuda shook his head before looking up between Kaoru and Iwai.

“This kid of yours has got guts. Like father, like son, huh?” He chuckled, and Iwai smiled warmly.

“Looks like it. So, what now?” He asked, and Tsuda shrugged, looking back to the deflated Masa.

“For a start, I’ll make this one pay back his debts. I haven't thought much about what comes after. All I know is… this is where we say goodbye, Mune.”

A look passed between the two of them, familial and sad, but Iwai still gave a small grin as he adjusted his hat.

“... Take care, brother.” He said in parting, and Tsuda nodded before walking Masa away with a gun to his back. As soon as they were gone, Iwai grabbed Kaoru into a massive hug.

“Are you okay, Kaoru?!” He demanded to know, finally letting up his grip enough to let the young man speak. Kaoru nodded, and stepped out of his father's arms.

“I was scared… but it's all better now,” he replied, and Iwai fixed him with another proud grin.

“Heh. Honestly, I'm surprised at how calm you stayed through all that. Guess you're maturin’ faster than I ever realized…” Iwai mumbled, and Akira grinned at the two of them.

“He's a pretty cool kid,” he joked, winking at a smiling Kaoru, and Iwai chuckled.

“Damn straight. Though he ain't much of a kid anymore… Y’know, I spent so much time tryin’ to make sure he didn't end up like me, that I forgot to see who he's becomin’... Can't believe I'm just realizin’ that now,” Iwai said wistfully, and grinned at his son, who laughed appreciatively. Iwai turned to Akira, who felt warm at seeing the touching scene.

“It’s all thanks to you, kid. I appreciate it… for real,” he said genuinely, and Akira suppressed a giggle at hearing Ryuji’s catchphrase coming from the older man. He just shrugged-- most of the work was done by Iwai or Tsuda, but he would take the praise. At that moment, Kaoru’s stomach growled loudly.

“Heh, I guess all the excitement made me hungry…” he joked, blushing, and Iwai laughed and wrapped his arm around Kaoru’s shoulder, ruffling his hair.

“Let's get some grub in you. C’mon, Akira. Let’s go to the diner,” he offered, and Akira brightened at his continued inclusion. It was a quiet journey to the diner, with everyone continuing to calm down after the drastic events. Kaoru recovered the quickest, surprisingly, and as soon as they all sat at a table, him across from Iwai and Akira, he cleared his throat.

“So, dad, when were you going to tell me you got a boyfriend?” He asked, and Iwai choked and started to cough while Akira smirked behind his hand, eyes dancing with amusement. Kaoru winked at him, already plenty accepting of the arrangement.

“Wh-- I… well, uh… now, I guess?” Iwai finally got out after coughing, and Akira chuckled as Iwai blushed deeply. Kaoru laughed at his dad.

“I’m not mad or anything. I'm just happy if you're happy. I mean, Akira stood up to the Yakuza with you. He’s great!” Kaoru gushed, and Akira straightened up under the praise. He couldn't exactly mention that he had went and challenged Tsuda’s shadow as well, but he was happy enough.

“Yeah, he’s pretty okay,” Iwai finally muttered, hiding his smile as he pulled down his hat. Kaoru let it drop, though he still looked delighted, and the rest of the late dinner passed peacefully.

Akira returned home, still smiling, before he remembered to check his phone. There were nearly a hundred missed messages, and he panicked while trying to hurriedly text everyone what had happened.

“There you are!” Morgana yowled from the top of the stairs before running and launching himself into Akira’s arms. Akira caught the cat with a grunt and found paws smacking his face repeatedly.

“We were so worried about you! You just said you were going to meet a kidnapper and then disappeared for hours!!” Morgana wailed, and Akira sighed.

“I'm sorry. I couldn't respond while it was going on, and then a lot more happened…” he explained, and Morgana stopped hitting him for a moment, calming down.

“... Is everything okay?” He asked quietly, and Akira smiled and pet the top of his head.

“Yeah, it's all fine now. We recovered Kaoru without anyone getting hurt, and they finally sorted things out between them. Actually, Tsuda was the one who came to the rescue, at the end,” he explained further, and Morgana gasped.

“That creep? The change of heart must have done a real number on him!” He exclaimed. Akira nodded, then yawned.

“Yeah. Oh, and, uh, Kaoru gave me his blessing. So there's that,” he added, and Morgana purred happily for him.

“I always knew it would work out. Now text the others so you can go to bed. We have to meet with Akechi soon, so I need you sharp.”

Akira obeyed his bossy cat’s instructions and climbed the stairs while messaging the group chat about the events of the evening, smoothly calming them all down before he laid down, falling asleep almost instantly.


	12. “Shit… Akira, what the fuck?”

Akira found himself heading into Untouchable without Iwai’s summons. He was still furious with Akechi and having to act like he didn’t know what the little shit was up to. The entire situation was more stress than the teen ever needed, and he just wanted to see Iwai and possibly trick him into the back room in order to make out and possibly more. 

However, when he entered the shop, Kaoru was standing at the counter talking with Iwai. Akira shifted his pants, a little uncomfortable, but was still happy to see the younger kid. He liked Kaoru-- he was hard working and patient, and very sweet. He’d started talking to him through text little by little-- helping with homework and getting to know each other. He smiled gently at Kaoru, who brightened at his presence.

“Akira! Good to see you! You know, I wanted to thank you again…” he started, but Akira just tried to shove it off.

“Tryin’ to interrupt another family moment, I see…” Iwai teased, grinning around the stick of his lollipop, and Akira looked at him questioningly. Kaoru just rolled his eyes.

“Are you still droning on about that? I mean, it was quite a shock… but that’s what made you take me in, right? So who cares?” Kaoru asked, exasperated. Iwai sighed.

“Whoah there, kiddo…” he warned. Kaoru continued anyway.

“If you had just told me all this sooner, you wouldn’t have been threatened.” Iwai sighed again, looking uncomfortable.

“Who your parents are, and where you come from, that stays with you for your entire life. Thanks to my loser parents, I got bullied by complete strangers, and--” he started, but Kaoru cut him off with a vigorous shake of his head.

“My father isn’t a loser, though. He’s a brilliant business owner,” Kaoru tried, and Iwai went silent. Akira looked at him and rolled his eyes before nudging him to continue.

“....Shut up.” Iwai grumbled, a little pink on his cheeks, before looking back to his son.

“I get it… I was just fightin’ my own demons. Stuck on my own crappy childhood and all the problems I had growin’ up… It changed how I saw Kaoru, made me treat him like a little kid,” he mumbled, not quite an apology but good enough for his son.

“I forgive you,” Kaoru said with a simple smile, eyes still full of pride when he looked at his father. Iwai’s eyes widened, and he coughed before putting on a grin.

“Wow, you’ve really matured, huh?” he joked, and Akira joined in on the laughter before Kaoru turned to him with a more serious expression.

“Why did you help my father out? I mean, I know you guys like each other, but even so… He told me you gathered info about Tsuda-san for him. You willingly got involved in a yakuza dispute… Would someone normally take that big of risk for someone they like?” he asked, and Akira gave him a sly smile.

“Well, he did give me a special menu,” he quipped, and Kaoru tilted his head for a second as he considered that. Iwai just chuckled.

“I’d understand if you were a member of the Phantom Thieves,” Kaoru started and missed how badly Akira startled at his statement. Iwai did not. “Fighting for the underdogs… like a gentleman thief, you know? People have their own opinions, but I think the Phantom Thieves are super cool!”

Kaoru went on and on about the Phantom Thieves, not noticing how uncomfortable Akira was growing from it all. Iwai glanced at the clock and interrupted his son with a cough.

“We gotta go, Kaoru. The supermarket’s about to close. Aren’t you in charge of dinner tonight?” he asked, and Kaoru’s eyes widened before he excused himself in a hurry to go buy groceries for dinner. In his absence, a long silence filled the shop. Akira took in a sigh of relief as Iwai made another doting statement about his son before instructing Akira to begin closing up the shop.

“... Tsuda changed rather suddenly, huh? Seems like he had a change of heart, just like those people they’ve been talkin’ about on TV. I can’t be the only one saved by his change of heart...” Iwai said, causing Akira to freeze where he stood. He turned his head to look at Iwai, who was staring at him with an unreadable expression. Akira wore his own neutral mask. When he spoke, it was quiet and only mildly curious.

“What if you’re right?” he asked, staring at Iwai’s face as he waited for a response. Iwai just chuckled.

“Heh, I wonder. Well, don’t worry. It ain’t really none of my concern. But man, you really had me fooled. That whole thing about being a gun enthusiast was all just BS. I hired you as a pawn, and now you’re…” he started, then paused and looked at Akira with a warm expression, unable to finish the thought. Akira was looking at him with open vulnerability, a slight edge of fear and needful eyes.

“The Phantom Thieves are usin’ my guns to take down bad guys, aren’t they?” Iwai asked, and Akira gave him a small, jerky nod.

“They really like helpin’ people, huh?” Another nod, this one more sure. Iwai cocked him a grin.

“Alright, then I’ll really put some effort into that special menu. I don’t wanna owe nobody nothin’, so I’ll do my best for you. I’ll provide all the support I can,” he said, and Akira blinked at him, dazed. 

Internally, the teen could feel the solidification of the bond as final, infinite, and solid. A shadowy figure crossed his mind, the ultimate Persona of the Hanged Man arcana that he had found in Iwai, and his ears buzzed for a moment as it all processed. Iwai looked at him with concern as he had only seen Akira suddenly zone out, dead to the world.

When Akira blinked and focused back on him, Iwai just shook his head and called him a weirdo.

“You know, in a shoot out, you need real guns, not those fakes you’ve been using. And those knives… they’re less useful than a butterknife in a fight. How…? You know what, I don’t wanna know,” Iwai continued, and the challenging smile Akira gave him returned. Then Iwai paused, and smirked.

“Wait a minute, you brat. I can’t believe you scolded me about puttin’ myself in danger when you’re public enemy number one!” he laughed, and Akira felt something very similar to when a Palace’s security level reached an astronomical level. He gave a smarmy grin and shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, I guess I would know, wouldn’t I?” he quipped, and Iwai laughed.

“Is there anythin’ else I should know, kid?” he asked, still chuckling, and Akira took in a deep breath before he nodded, face serious.

“You should probably know that we are currently working to change the heart of the state prosecutor before she possibly arrests someone else for what she perceives to be our crimes. We’re being set up as being behind the mental shutdowns, but that was not anything we did, and we are trying to find out who did. Actually, I know who did, but not why. And now he’s working as part of our group. He’s going to set us up to be arrested, but I’m going to take the fall and, if all goes well, I’ll live to bring him down,” he explained, tone cool and neutral as he spoke. 

Iwai froze, looking at Akira with disbelief. The teen held steady, eyes hard, and Iwai’s lips parted.

“Excuse me?” He hissed, tone as dark as it was in his yakuza days. Akira did not flinch, and Iwai realized fully he was speaking to the leader of the Phantom Thieves and not just his part timer.

“Shit… Akira, what the fuck?” He muttered, and the teen shifted on his feet while he shrugged. He rubbed the back of his neck, and his eyes darkened.

“I ask myself that every day.”

“Kid…” Iwai sighed, taking in Akira’s rueful expression. He wrapped his arms around the younger man. Akira didn't react to the affection for a long moment as he started to blink away tears. Then he grabbed Iwai’s shirt and buried his face into his chest.

“Everything has just spiralled so much! We started just to get rid of that bastard Kamoshida, but we keep finding monstrous adults who are abusing anyone who’s weaker than them. No one else was stopping them, and when we figured out how to change hearts… What else could we have done?” he mumbled into Iwai’s shirt, clenching his fists as he did. He started to cry in earnest, feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

The weight of the world was crushing his shoulders and even with his friends helping, he felt like he would drown. He clung to Iwai like a rock giving him stability. The older man said nothing as he held Akira gently, letting him get it all out. He had the feeling the kid hadn’t been able to let off steam since everything had started. 

“Tell me about it. All of it,” Iwai commanded, and Akira lifted his head to look at him with a watery gaze, then turned back away.

“Okay. But not right now. I just… Not all at once,” he mumbled, and Iwai stroked his hair with a frown. He wished the kid would just open fully up, but he knew better than any that trying to talk about everything that was bothering you all at once just made you feel worse.

“Alright. How about you come over for dinner, then? Kaoru would be pretty happy,” Iwai offered, and Akira smiled but shook his head.

“No… I’d like to, but Sojiro has been extra protective lately, so I should go back home for dinner,” he said, a sheepish smile on his face. Iwai hummed, looking at Akira with confusion.

“Sojiro?” he asked, and Akira shrugged.

“He’s the guy who took me in this year. I live over his coffee shop and help him out sometimes, he’s gotten to be like family,” he explained, and Iwai shut his eyes, not sure what he was expecting. Every moment just unraveled a new angle of mystery that was Akira Kurusu.

“... Right. Well, then let me walk you to the station, at least. We’ll talk soon,” Iwai ordered, then dipped to place a gentle kiss on Akira’s lips. The younger man hummed in delight but did not seek to deepen it, instead just appreciating the intimacy and comfort of the action.

“Thanks, Mune,” he said, and Iwai rolled his eyes.

“I almost prefer gun daddy,” he grumbled, enjoying the light laughter that Akira let out as they locked up the shop. Outside, he stopped Akira again, with a serious expression on his face. The teen looked at him quizzically.

“Look, kid… Just take care of yourself, yeah? I’ll support you the best I can, but don’t go and get yourself killed,” he asked, and Akira’s eyes softened and he kissed him again.

“I promise,” he vowed, hand over his heart, and Iwai smiled. Still, he knew it was the first false promise the kid had ever made him.


	13. “Pardon my language but what the fuck are you talkin’ about?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW mention of suicide, mention of murder
> 
> we're reaching the endgame now kiddos

Three weeks passed and Iwai had only briefly seen Akira. He stopped by for a few last minute upgrades, then disappeared. Any attempt Iwai had made to reach out failed, and after a couple of texts, he stopped trying. The kid was in the thick of things, he didn’t need a clingy old man to add to the pile. He found himself listening to the radio endlessly, if only to hear anything new in the news about the Phantom Thieves.

When he heard the special announcement that the leader of the notorious Phantom Thieves had killed himself after killing an officer while in custody, he nearly fainted. 

Iwai was not a weak man emotionally by any means. He had known brothers in the yakuza to meet untimely ends. But hearing that Akira, that his Akira could… He couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. There was no way that the kid he knew could ever kill an officer, let alone himself. It didn’t add up. 

His disbelief did not stop him from locking up the shop while he cried, hiding his face in his hands and heaving great breaths as he tried to process exactly what had happened. It had to be wrong, he needed it to be wrong. He needed Akira to be alive.

He took out his phone and sent a desperate text to Akira, hoping against hope that he would get a reply. It felt like an eternity before he finally stopped crying, and he washed his face shamefully. He hadn’t cried so much since he had taken Kaoru in, after seeing how truly fucked the world was. He was seeing it again. Iwai’s stomach was in knots and he felt sick.

When he got home that afternoon, Kaoru was instantly concerned about the state his father was in. Of course, he was also upset. While he hadn’t figured out that Akira was the leader of the Phantom Thieves, he still heavily idolized the group and was heartbroken by the news. Neither of them could handle it. Akira was dead.

When Iwai got a call from an unknown number, he nearly didn’t answer. Part of him was afraid that it was the authorities after discovering his connection to the Phantom Thieves, and another part was afraid the yakuza were on his case yet again. Still, a strong force inside told him to answer, and he obeyed.

An older man was on the other line, and the voice was not familiar.

“Is this Munehisa Iwai?” the man asked, and Iwai grunted. 

“What of it?” he asked gruffly, and the other man sighed.

“My name is Sojiro Sakura. I’m Akira Kurusu’s guardian… Could you meet me in Yongen? There is something I need to discuss with you. It’s urgent,” Sojiro requested. Iwai blinked, shock passing through him. He grumbled out a reply before turning to Kaoru.

“I need to go meet someone… I’ll be back soon. Keep the door locked and don’t keep watchin’ that depressin’ news. Play a video game or somethin’,” Iwai instructed before quickly leaving the house, feeling guilty about leaving his son alone. Yet, there was still that something in the back of his head telling him he needed to move, and fast. 

The train did not take long and Iwai quickly found the unassuming cafe down a back alley. He entered and looked around nervously. The painting by the door looked vaguely familiar, but no one was down in the cafe. He nearly backed out the door as a group of teenagers began thundering down the stairs, from what he realized had been Akira’s room. They all wore the same kind of look Akira usually had, stressed out and dealing with something well beyond their level.

“He’s here! Thank God!” one of them squeaked, the tall blond girl with massive pigtails. Iwai blinked, utterly confused until he started to come to the realization that he was looking at the rest of the Phantom Thieves-- a group of damn kids who had caused a major international incident. He stepped back towards the door, still unsure why he had been summoned, when the door opened behind him.

“Wha-- You’re Iwai? You’re… older than I thought,” Sojiro grumbled as he closed the door, looking over Iwai with the judgemental eyes only a father could have. Iwai scratched the back of his neck, starting to sweat under the scrutiny.

“I… Yes?” he finally got out, not knowing how to stand under everyone looking at him critically. The two blondes were whispering together conspiratorially, and they both gave him thumbs up. A straight laced looking young woman with a braid at her crown kept him pinned under a cold gaze as she weighed him in her mind. A curly haired, smaller girl gave him a soft smile. A tall, black haired teen was oddly holding up his hands as if framing him in his fingers before he seemed to nod to himself. The smallest girl, her hair long and bright red, was grinning wide.

“Well, come on. Let’s go and leave them alone,” Sojiro told the group of gaggling teens before turning again to Iwai, his expression much softer.

“Just… don’t be rough,” he said quietly, and Iwai shook his head.

“Pardon my language but what the fuck are you talkin’ about?” he asked, and Sojiro sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose while the small redhead laughed.

“Go upstairs. Someone wants to see you and wouldn’t stop yelling until I agreed to call you. I couldn’t use his phone so… look, I know he heard that, so just get up there already,” Sojiro explained, albeit poorly. The teens shoved themselves out of the way to give him space to get to the stairs, where a cat suddenly darted down. Akira’s cat. The little furball even seemed to be eyeing him over before sniffing and leading the way out of the store. 

Iwai was totally lost. Who the fuck could be upstairs? Why were all these kids looking at him so expectantly? Unless…. 

He crossed the floor to the stairs quickly and barrelled up the stairs, coming to a stop in the middle of the room. On a bed by a dusty window was Akira, looking like he’d been hit by a bus and then beat up again for good measure. The kid turned and looked at him with wide eyes, and his lips formed the sweetest, most relieved smile Iwai had ever seen. He took the next couple of steps to the bed before dropping to his knees beside it. His hands reached out to touch him, but the kid was covered in bruises and bandages and he had no idea where he could hold him without causing pain.

No words passed between them for a brief moment, but Akira took a hold of his hand with his own, finger splint be damned, and gently squeezed Iwai’s fingers while his eyes watered. 

“Kid… what did they do to you?” he asked, voice strained with emotion. Akira shrugged, wincing at the action. Iwai ghosted his hand over Akira’s back, and sighed. The younger man was a galaxy of bruises, reminding Iwai of himself when he left the Yakuza. 

“We made it through the hard part. Having a metaverse makes faking your death a little easier,” Akira joked, but it felt hollow to Iwai’s ears. He gently brushed his fingers through Akira’s hair, unsure where else he could touch him. He felt his eyes watering as he did, at Akira’s saddened eyes and twisted smile.

“Akira… I won’t pretend to understand what you kids are doin’ but… I’m so glad you’re safe,” Iwai breathed and Akira leaned over, kissing his forehead and pulling him into a tight hug that the older man was too afraid to return. The two leaned into each other without speaking for a long time. Iwai was perfectly content to just listen to Akira breathing. 

“Scootch over, kid, my old knees can’t take this floor,” Iwai grumbled, and Akira laughed while he moved over on the futon. Once Iwai settled on the bed, Akira wasted no time in snuggling up next to him, moving under his arm and wrapping his own around Iwai’s wide torso.

Once Akira was comfortably wrapped around Iwai, sinking into his muscular torso with a happy sigh, he took a deep breath and just relaxed. The last couple of days had been horrific, but he was finally with his favorite person. Iwai was just extremely relieved that Akira was alive and not murdered as he feared. He let Akira breathe deeply, but was not surprised when the teen squeezed him tight and sighed, prepared to speak.

“I’m going to tell you now. Everything. Can you… stay a while?” Akira asked, voice small and quiet. Iwai nodded and made a sound of agreement, nerves acting up as Akira leaned further into him and turned his face down. He held him closer in response, and the teen began telling him everything. 

He told him about protecting the woman and the subsequent arrest and probation, about Shido and the truth of his rise in politics. He talked about the metaverse, and the true depths of depravity of the adults they had stolen the hearts of, and the difficult battles they had faced. He explained how he had changed Tsuda’s heart, and the hearts of more people than the big name ones everyone seemed to know, trying to keep the seeds of Palaces from coming to fruition. He talked about how they were facing their biggest challenge yet, one that felt final in a way, and one fraught with danger.

Iwai listened intently to the explanation. It was a little difficult to keep up with, once Akira started talking about the metaverse, but he still did his damnedest to understand. It was all horrifying. He could hardly believe that, somehow, a group of kids were the only hope at keeping a madman away from absolute power. All of them were traumatized and dealing with terrible issues of their own, but they still managed to fight for justice that they were not seeing otherwise. It was a hell of a lot more admirable than how Iwai spent his teenage years.

He was silent after Akira stopped speaking, unsure of what words he could even say in response to all that had been laid out for him. He had known that his part timer was mysterious and elusive, and carried a lot on his shoulders. He never could have guessed exactly what all had been going on behind his dark eyes and strange schedule, but a feeling of gratefulness overcame him. He gently rubbed Akira’s back and sighed deeply.

“Kid… that’s some heavy shit,” he finally said, and Akira gave a weak chuckle, mumbling an agreement. Iwai shifted and moved to see Akira’s face. The younger man was nobly trying to maintain a neutral expression, but Iwai could see the nervousness in his eyes and the faint tremble to his lips.

“Akira, I don’t know how you did it. How you could still be going… They want you dead, don’t they? Fuck… I wish I could protect you from this,” he said quietly, his words far more tender than normal. Akira gave him a rueful smile and reached a hand up to cup Iwai’s face. Iwai leaned into the touch, casting his eyes down. He was not used to emotional encounters-- even in his youth, he didn’t so much date as he had encounters. The feeling of wanting to protect and hold the young man in his arms was so foreign and new, and made him feel incredibly vulnerable.


	14. “I wish I could just take care of you.”

The days seemed darker as Iwai struggled to continue like nothing was wrong. Akira was on the mend, but in hiding after faking his own death. He still didn’t fully understand how that was pulled off, but he worried for his part timer. Every time the door opened, he felt disappointment that Akira wasn’t waltzing in, a smirk on his face and teasing in his eyes. 

Kaoru was quick to realize the connection between Akira’s sudden disappearance and the death of the leader of the Phantom Thieves. At first, the middle schooler was furious with both Iwai and Akira for lying to him, but his grief calmed him. He eventually also figured out that Akira was alive, due to Iwai’s frequent and unexplained trips out at night to visit the recovering teen.

The news remained dull following the “death” of the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Iwai still listened daily, but was growing bored with the repetitive speculations of the media. He turned off the radio and leaned back in his chair, looking up when the door opened. Even wearing a hoodie and keeping his face down, Iwai knew the figure that entered. He stood quickly, looking at Akira in shock as the teen strutted up to the counter with a sly smile on his face.

“Hey there, gun daddy,” he quipped, voice still slightly rough. He leaned against the counter, not as heavily as he would have just days earlier, and gave a winning grin. Iwai stared, shocked beyond belief, before he quickly ushered Akira into the back room.

“What the fuck are you doing here?!” he demanded as soon as he shut the door, watching as Akira sat on the edge of the desk. The teen tilted his head and smiled, looking a little worn out.

“I need more weapons,” he said, before lifting his bag and dumping out some nearly broken weapons-- a dagger bending at the handle, a worn whip, and a cracking bat. Iwai looked at the weapons and sighed before heading back out to the store. He returned with the best of the fake weapons he had, and Akira studied them intently before nodding.

“How do you even know these will work?” Iwai grumbled, and Akira shrugged.

“I have a hunch about these things,” he supplied, before digging out an acceptable amount of money, ignoring Iwai’s grumbling. The gun supplier looked over the younger man with a frown. He was healing well, but it was still dangerous for him to be out and about.

“What trouble are you getting into now?” he asked, and it was Akira’s time to sigh. He broke down the plan to take down Shido, speaking vaguely of his palace and the need to change his heart before he lead the entire country astray. Iwai frowned, upset that once again only some teenagers had a shot at making a change in the world.

“I wish I could just take care of you,” Iwai mumbled as he pulled Akira into a loose hug, burying his face in the younger man’s neck and sighing. Akira smiled and rubbed his back, leaning into the larger man comfortably.

“You already do, Iwai,” Akira reassured him, grinning as Iwai squeezed him tighter. The man had been more protective in the weeks following Akira’s faked death, and now that he knew he was sneaking about in town, Iwai was more stressed than ever. He knew nothing he said would stop the teen from living a dangerous life, but he still had the urge to hide him away forever, so he could never get hurt again. As if he read his thoughts, Akira slipped out of Iwai’s arms and stepped towards the door.

“I’ve got to go,” Akira said, his smile sad as he looked up at a frowning Iwai. He stepped back closer and kissed his cheek, grinning as he pulled away. Iwai grabbed Akira’s hand before he could leave, holding it tightly while looking at the younger man, a stricken expression on his face. He felt bewildered that he thought involving Akira with the yakuza was the worst that he could have anticipated. Akira looked back at him, a warmth in his gaze, and promised to return again.

Weeks later, when Iwai saw the silhouettes of Akira and his friends across every news outlet, he couldn’t help but crack a grin. Akira definitely had style.


	15. “Begone!"

They thought it would end with Shido. He certainly felt appropriate as the end of it, and in a way, he was. He was the last person they would fight. But once they approached Mementos’s final door, Akira realized it was far from over. Even as they discovered the Metaverse and their own powers, he never anticipated what laid in the depths of society’s subconscious.

The battles were more intense than anything he had ever experienced before, and he was only able to combat his own fear by trying to assure his team that it was all going to work out fine. They were going to find the center of Mementos, the truth about Morgana, and the answer to everything.

Akira never anticipated that the answer would be a giant fucking cup. Okay, Holy Grail, but it was still utterly absurd. He’d never felt more like an insignificant child than when he realized he was fighting an actual, literal God. He thought back to Kamoshida, their first battle as Phantom Thieves, and how drastically everything had changed.

Everything he had seen in the depths of Mementos was scarring. His friends were also uncomfortable and uneasy in the pulsating, eerie depths. Then they managed to destroy that damn cup, and somehow everything got worse.

\--

It was mass chaos. The sky was red and raining blood and giant horrific bones sprouted from the ground. Iwai thought he had to have been dreaming, a horrible nightmare, but he could feel his heart beat in his chest and the screams of the people running down the street were desperate and real. 

Everyone who had forgotten about the Phantom Thieves started to cheer for them, shouting praise out for the group who was standing defiant in the face of something indescribable. Iwai added his own quiet encouragement, eyes straining to see a glimpse of the group where they stood high above the ground, though he couldn’t really make anything out. Still, he could feel a stirring in his heart, a hope against all odds, that the Phantom Thieves of Heart could hear them all.

\--

Akira shakily stood back up, taking in the echoing cheers of the people down below as Morgana continued to yell at Yaldabaoth, refusing to back down even as he and the rest of the team were sprawled out, exhausted and afraid and overpowered. And yet, despite the weakness in his legs and aching in his body and head, Akira knew he would fight until his last dying breath. He could no more bear this false god’s messed up idea of a world any more than he could deal with a shitty teacher trying to abuse his students. 

Ryuji struggled to stand back up beside him, then Haru. Slowly, his team all rose in defiance of the God of Control, proud and rebellious as they took in the encouragement of the people below.

“God is the one who creates the world!” roared Yaldabaoth, shining and terribly resplendent. 

“I’ve made up my mind! I will see my justice through for the sake of those I care about!” Morgana yelled back. He turned to the rest of the Thieves, determination on his cat-like face.

“That goes for you as well. If you’ve decided to take the world from him, don’t compromise your ideals to the very end!” he declared. 

“Let’s defeat him together!” yelled Anne, fury in her blue eyes as she stared down the god. Akira closed his eyes, gathering all his strength before raising a hand to point at Yaldabaoth, issuing his final warning with a clear, harsh voice.

“We’re saving this world!” he vowed, feeling empowered and righteous as he grinned viciously. Down below, the cacophony of cheers increased in intensity, and somehow Akira could feel it in his chest when every single person had sent up their belief. He knew in his very soul that his confidants were in that crowd, watching and supporting. He drew on that strength.

Arsene appeared behind him, his oldest and most faithful Persona. The true form of his heart. Akira reached up and gripped a chain that bound him, and with a harsh flick of his arm, broke the chain with a flourish. The air swirled around Arsene as his power grew in intensity, and he let out a growling laugh that filled Akira with excitement. The dust settled with Arsene nowhere in sight, and Yaldabaoth began trying to belittle the group when he trailed off, shaken by something.

From the sky descended a massive, winged figure, larger than a skyscraper and wearing a mask the same as Joker’s. The other thieves looked up at him in awe, before looking again at Akira, who was staring defiantly at Yaldabaoth. 

“Is that… a Persona?” asked Morgana, shock written across his face. He and the other Thieves felt restored upon seeing it, their will to fight returning with gusto. They stood once again before the God of Control, ready to fight. They braced as Yaldabaoth fired at them again, but it reflected harmlessly away, leading to more cheers below.

“I see… if a god plays naughty, then it’s a demon lord’s duty to punish him…! What better way is there for a finale as a Trickster!” Morgana yelled. Akira nodded, gathering strength as he connected to this Persona. It was time for it all to come to an end. He closed his eyes and thought over everyone he had met in Tokyo and the problems he had helped them with. His teacher, Kawakami, and the guardians of her dead student. Sojiro and Futaba’s terrible uncle, and Chihaya and the fraudulent psychic guild. He thought of Iwai and his sordid past and the determination each of his confidants had to face their battles and seek justice. 

He would deliver justice for all of them, and everyone else in the world.

Akira opened his eyes and reached out a hand, holding his fake gun from Iwai’s shop. Satanael mimicked his movement, raising a gun the size of a subway. Akira’s eyes narrowed, and he focused all of his rebellion and determination and sheer fucking willpower into his gaze. 

“Begone,” he hissed, a command over God. Yaldabaoth sprouted more nonsense, but Akira was beyond listening to the God of Control. For all he cared, that abomination never needed to exist. He would erase him and his damned ideals. He would not allow the world to be subjugated to imprisonment, no matter the cost!

He and Satanael shot simultaneously, and the building sized bullet put a giant hole in Yaldabaoth’s head. Everything was silent for a long moment. And then, everything crumbled.

And thus was the world reborn.


	16. “I’m not gonna abandon you, kid."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping up for the end now

The world was strangely quiet. Iwai was confused, at first, but he wasn’t sure how to articulate his concerns when he hardly spoke to anyone that wasn’t his son or his part timer. Kaoru thought his dad had a bad dream when he spoke of people turning into ash and blood raining from the sky. Everyone still remembered the Phantom Thieves, but the battle against a god was forgotten by everyone. Iwai recalled it vividly still, and had intense dreams about those memories. Sometimes, Akira lost. Iwai hated those most of all.

When he asked Akira about it, the young man would get a distant look on his face and a shattered look in his eyes, and he let the subject drop. Still, he found himself constantly seeking out the younger man and needing to touch him, to know that he was real and alive and there with him. Akira sought him out just as much, with little touches to the back or lingering brushes on his arm. He felt like he had lived lifetimes in the past few months, and he could only imagine how Akira felt.

The young man had returned to school after bogus excuses about a family emergency, facilitated by his in-the-know teacher, and evidently, just as knowing doctor. After class, he stopped by the gun shop to see Iwai and enjoy the solitude of the quiet store. The streets of Tokyo still haunted them both after the events of early December. They didn’t speak of that day, not yet. 

“Hey kid, y’know, Christmas is comin’ up,” Iwai mentioned in passing as Akira puttered around the shop a week before the holiday. The teen had been more stoic than usual, but his old coy smile returned as Iwai spoke. He looked up with his grin, and tilted his head knowingly.

“It is,” he teased, intentionally making Iwai get to the point instead of helping. Iwai glared at the younger man, cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. 

“Well, y’know, if you’ve got nothin’ better to do… I’d like to see you Christmas Eve,” he grumbled out, making Akira chuckle while he grinned affectionately. He stepped closer to the gun dealer and stroked his cheek, smiling gently when Iwai leaned into his touch.

“Of course. I want to spend time with you too,” he said softly. Iwai adjusted his hat, embarrassed at the amount of affection he held for the younger man. He deeply enjoyed getting to know Akira further following the teen saving the world with his friends-- he learned that Akira was a former baseball player that had been unfortunately barred from joining any sports at his new school. He also was the top student of his year, and looking forward to studying politics in university after he had spent part of the year as a volunteer intern to a former politician. He’d been surprised to learn that Akira wanted to enter the government, but not entirely. After all, the best way to change the system was from within. 

Akira kissed Iwai’s cheek and smiled as he leaned away. The older man smiled gently in return before noting the time.

“It’s gettin’ late, kid. You should get home before your old man comes lookin’ for you,” he joked, bracing when Akira grinned viciously.

“I thought you were my old man? Sojiro’s just my new dad,” he joked, but still headed towards the door.

“I have tests coming up, so I’ll be a little busy until break, but… I’ll see you Christmas Eve?” he asked, heart racing slightly when Iwai nodded while he started closing down the shop. It was silly, but he was starting to enjoy having that kind of cute relationship.

\--

Iwai felt out of place and absolutely ridiculous as he approached Leblanc, a bag held at his side. He was grateful for the dark of the night to hide the pink on his face. He’d never had a boyfriend before, or girlfriend for that matter, that was dedicated enough to spend a holiday together, or at least to put effort into it. He felt old and young all at once-- much to Kaoru’s teasing. 

The door was unlocked when he tried it, despite the closed sign, and Iwai’s nerves relaxed as he realized Sojiro, Akira’s guardian, wasn’t around. The downstairs were still lit, and a delightful smell came out of the back. Akira popped around, green apron tied on, and smiled gently at Iwai’s appearance.

“Hey, Iwai. I’m just finishing up. Make yourself comfortable,” he offered, gesturing with a sauce covered spoon and stepping back into the kitchen. Iwai stared after him, unsure how to follow that instruction. He set the bag on the counter and removed his heavy duster coat and hat, and ran his hand over closely clipped hair. He tugged at the sleeves of his button up shirt, a little embarrassed at having dressed up. 

Before he could agonize over it further, Akira reemerged carrying two plates full of delicious smelling curry. He sat the plates at the booth and saddled up to Iwai with an approving grin. He ran his hands down the front of Iwai’s chest before wrapping his arms around him and pulling him into an embrace. Iwai mirrored the motion, letting his chin rest on Akira’s curls. The weeks spent visiting Akira while he was in recovery let him become comfortable with the sweet touches, craving them more and more. 

“You dress up nice, gun daddy,” Akira purred, nuzzling Iwai’s neck with a coy grin. Iwai chuckled, and pulled back just enough to gently grab Akira’s chin and tilt his face up for a kiss. The younger man eagerly reciprocated before nipping Iwai’s lower lip and pulling away entirely, motioning towards dinner. Iwai grinned ruthlessly but complied. The two sat and ate without many words needing to pass between them, comfortable in silence and each other’s company. Still, it didn’t take long for Akira’s curiosity about the bag to take hold.

“Okay, spill it. What’s this?” Akira asked, poking at the dark bag. Iwai chuckled and put it in Akira’s hand, blushing heavily as he did. The younger man smiled brightly and opened the bag, plucking out the contents with practiced ease. His eyes widened as he pulled out a small velvet box, too large to be a ring but smaller than a necklace. Eyebrow cocked, he opened it to reveal a gecko pin. He looked up at Iwai to see the older man watching him nervously.

“It’s our family crest. You’ve done so much for Kaoru and me, protectin’ us and everyone… I feel like you’re a part of us now, if you’ll have us,” Iwai explained, rubbing the back of his neck and watching Akira’s face for a reaction beyond shock. The younger man smiled wide and his eyes filled with warmth as he reverently touched the black and gold pin.

“I told you already, you’ll never be rid of me, Munehisa,” Akira said softly, looking up at Iwai lovingly. The older man smiled, but frowned as Akira’s expression shifted into one of sadness and worry yet again. He closed the box and gripped it tightly before looking back up at Iwai and smiling softly.

“I’m turning myself into the police tomorrow, so they won’t come after the rest of us. If I do, it will help convict Shido, and we won’t take the fall for the mental shutdowns. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone but… I can’t live with false freedom and a fear of being convicted for the wrong things, not after everything we’ve done,” Akira confessed, voice steady and sure though tinged with regret. Iwai stared blankly at him, words failing him. The younger man gave him a strained smile and looked down, swallowing harshly. 

“I’m not gonna abandon you, kid,” Iwai promised, voice rough with emotion. Tears fell down Akira’s cheek as his lip trembled, unwilling to give into his grief even as Iwai gripped his shoulders. His smile remained, strained as ever, and he hiccuped out a sob. Iwai pulled him into a tight embrace, fearful and worried and scared and proud. That stupid, noble, wonderful idiot of a kid held him close and painfully tight, as if scared that either of them will disappear. Iwai continued making quiet, reassuring promises as he let Akira break down in his arms yet again. He would never forgive the world for putting itself on his shoulders.

Akira mumbled something against his chest, and Iwai reluctantly pulled away so he could hear what he was saying.

“I love you, Munehisa,” Akira revealed in a whisper, boldly meeting the older man’s eyes with determination. Iwai’s breath hitched as the words pierced his heart. However, looking at the younger man he knew his heart had be stolen long ago. His face softened and he cupped Akira’s face tenderly.

“I love you too, Akira,” he told him, kissing his lips softly. Akira wrapped his arms around Iwai’s neck and deepened the kiss, pulling him closer and pressing his body flush against his. The kiss tasted of coffee and curry and the sweetness of fledgling love. Iwai would have given anything to freeze the moment forever, but all too soon Akira broke off the kiss only to look at him sweetly and ask if he would stay the night.

Iwai’s eyebrow rose and he smirked rogueishly. Akira maintained his neutral, innocent gaze even as Iwai could see the challenge in his eyes. He rubbed his hand against the scruff on his chin and hummed thoughtfully. As if he would consider anything less than spending the night with Akira. The younger man tilted his head down, gently touching Iwai’s chest.

“I’ll make it worth your while,” he promised seductively, earning a hearty chuckle from Iwai. He wrapped his hands around Akira’s waist, pulling him closer and leaning down to steal another kiss.

“You always do,” he returned with a grin, nipping at Akira’s bottom lip and earning a gasp from the younger boy. He pressed forward, furthering the kiss and effectively pinning Akira against the counter. He was unprepared for the smaller, lithe man beneath him to flip them around and pin him instead. The moan that he released revealed exactly how much he liked that little move, and Akira gave him an appreciative nip on his bottom lip.

The two fumbled their way up the stairs, with Akira leading the way, until they crashed onto his futon, Morgana conspicuously absent. Akira rolled them until he was straddling an appreciative Iwai, pinning down his hands and biting his neck. Iwai let out a breathy sound and struggled against the surprisingly strong younger man, excited to find himself still pinned. Akira let out a dark chuckle, finding himself going full Joker as he felt the urge to tease Iwai.

As he leaned down, leaving a trail of teasing kisses and bites along Iwai’s neck, he knew they would both have a night to remember.

\--

The next morning, Iwai walked Akira down to the station in silence. Akira looked carefully bored as he stared forward towards the station, but his hand held onto Iwai’s desperately. The older man watched him from the corner of his eye, feeling sick and desperate to keep a hold of Akira and keep him from being so damn noble all the time. He wanted nothing more than to spirit him away, keep Akira hidden from the world and especially the police.

“Munehisa,” Akira said quietly as they approached the station, and Iwai’s heartbeat increased as he looked at his part timer and the love of his life. Akira met his gaze with quiet acceptance, a steel look in his eyes that bore a resolve Iwai had barely seen in men twice his age or more. The young man was scared, of course, but he was unwavering. Iwai knew he could never be that strong.

“Akira,” he whispered affectionately, choking up. Iwai had never been one for tears, but he felt a stinging in his eyes regardless. He hadn’t cried since the night his son was kidnapped, and even then it was when he had been alone that night, able to process what had happened. Akira leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, cupping the other in his gloved hand.

“I’ll be back,” he promised solemnly, and Iwai knew he would. He nodded, a grim frown on his face, and Akira looked at the train as it arrived. He did not look back at Iwai, or towards Yongen at all. He walked forward with a determined step and only turned when the door closed behind him with a final click. His slim fingers raised to the window in a short wave, Akira gave Iwai a blessed half smile and then was gone.

Iwai stood at the station a while longer, irrationally hoping that the next train would come and Akira would step out and tell him it was a horrible prank, or that the police wouldn’t really arrest him. He watched a handful of trains come and go from the platform before his feet moved almost unwillingly, and he finally found his way home.


End file.
